Partner (Micah Bell)

46. Pinkertons

Micah and Ashley sat at a table, they had decided that they would stay in the camp for a while longer before leaving. They hadn't told the other's about their plans to leave the gang and they had decided that staying in camp for a while wouldn't be any harm, they just weren't quite ready to leave yet.

The camp was pretty quiet and everyone seemed pretty relaxed. That's peace was soon disturbed when Lenny walked into the camp, heading straight towards Dutch. "Hey Dutch. We got a problem" Lenny warned, making everybody in camp look over at them. It wasn't look before everyone had spotted the two men following him into camp. Ashley and Micah recognised them as the two detectives who had been searching for them.

"Not a problem...visitors...a solution. Good day find people. Mr van der Linde. Mr Matthews, I presume. And...who are you?" The detective in front spoke, while the detective behind him was silent and holding a rifle over his shoulder.

"Rip Van Winkle" John replied carefully, as he stood from the table he was sitting at.

"Huh...good day sir. Agent Milton, Pinkerton Detective Agency. Agent Ross" Agent Milton introduced them both while the other members of the camp gathered around, forming a circle around the two detectives. "Ah, Mr Morgan...nice to see you again" he nodded at Arthur as if he was trying to fake some sort of politeness with him.

"And to what do we owe you the pleasure, Agent Moron?" Dutch asked as he stepped out of the circle slightly, towards the agents.

"I don't know if you're aware but this...this is a civilised land now. We didn't kill all them savages only to allow the likes of you to act like human dignity and basic decency was outmoded or not yet invented. This thing...it's done" Agent Milton informed the gang but kept his attention on Dutch.

Ashley and Micah stood in the circle of gang members, side by side. Micah glanced down at Ashley and his face hardened slightly more than it already was. He shifted forward ever so slightly, as if he was trying to but himself between the detectives and Ashley in some way.

"This place...ain't no such thing as civilised. It's man so in love with greed he had forgotten himself and found only appetites" Dutch shook his head.

"And as a consequence that lets you take what you please, kill whom you please and hang the rest of us? Who made you the messiah to these lost souls you've led so horribly astray?" Agent Milton asked rhetorically and Ashley couldn't help but notice that Agent Ross hadn't spoken yet.

"I'm nothing but a seeker, Mr Milton" Dutch shook his head again. It was obvious that he was trying to come off as polite, intimidating, and threatening all at once.

"You ain't much of anything more than a killer, Mr van der Linde. But I came to make a deal. It's time. You come with me and I give the rest of ya three days to run off, disappear and go and live like human beings someplace else" Agent Milton offered, glancing around a the circle of gang members he found himself in the centre of.

"You came for me? Risked life and limb in this den of lowlifes and murderers so that they might live and love? Ain't that fine" Dutch gushed sarcastically, earning a few chuckles from some of the camp members.

"I don't wanna kill all these folk, Dutch...just you" Agent Milton reminded him, not that he was surprised.

"In that case..." Dutch hummed as he put his hands up in surrender and stepped towards the agents. "It'd be my honour to join you. Excuse me, friends...I have an appointment to keep with..." he spoke with charming yet condescending smile as everyone in the circle readied their guns.

"I think your new friend should leave now, Dutch" Miss Grimshaw spoke as she stepped forward and held her shotgun up in an intimidating way.

"You're making a big mistake...all of you" Agent Milton warned all of the outlaws, turning as he glanced at each of their faces.

"Yeah...dreadful. We have got something...something to live and die for. How awful for us, Mr Milton...stop following us. We'll be gone soon" Dutch assured him.

"I'm afraid I can't and when I return I'll be with fifty men. All of you will die. Run away from this place, you fools. Run!" Agent Milton ordered with his warning but nobody around him moved, they only hardened their glares on him.

"Come on" Lenny shook his head as he stepped out, reaching out to take hold of Milton's arm.

"Get your damn hands off of me, boy" Agent Milton snapped as he recoiled from Lenny's grasp. He sighed before turning and walking away with Agent Ross.

The Agents left the camp and once they were out of sight, the whole gang turned to look at Dutch. Surely, he would have something to say after that. "What now?" Arthur asked, tiredly.

"Actually, I have some good news. It seems that we finally have enough" Dutch told the gang with a small smile, he was hoping to have a little more time but now was as good a time as any other.

"Have enough?" Charles asked, wondering what Dutch was even talking about.

"We have enough money to leave, to get far from here. We finally did it. It ain't as much as I wanted to get us but it's enough. We can get somewhere were we will be safe, where people won't be looking for us. We can all start fresh" Dutch told them all, and everyone's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. Since it took so long for the Pinkertons to find them at Clemens Point, Dutch had managed to arrange a few large scores and with them all added up together it made enough to move the gang to somewhere safe for them. Somewhere they can be safe and free. "But we have got to get out of here...and quick. We just need somewhere to hold up for a few days before we make the final move. Any ideas?" he asked as he glanced around at the gang.

"I know a big old house, hidden in the swaps outside Saint Denis. It should buy us a few days" Arthur suggested as he remembered the large house he and Lenny had come across.

"A few days is all we need. That's perfect, everyone get packing" Dutch ordered with hopeful smile. It was nice to see Dutch smile and for his reassurances and plans and 'have some faith's to be genuine rather than just empty.

The gang members scattered from the gathering and headed to pack up their belongings. Ashley and Micah stayed where they were standing, they both looked at each other and shared a sad but knowing look. They both knew that it was time to starting thinking about moving out to that ranch.

Micah gently grasped her shoulder as he guided her towards the outskirts of the camp. Once they were alone and out of sight they turned to each other. "Ya already know what I'm going to say...I think it's time to get out while we still can" Micah sighed as he looked down at her.

"I know...I agree. It's time to go to the ranch" Ashley nodded as she ran her hand through her hair.

"We just...we gotta keep them safe" he sighed as he stepped closer and rested his hand on her stomach. Micah found himself even more protective over Ashley than he already was, her and the child that she was carrying had so quickly become his number one priority. The tender gesture made Ashley smile as she wrapped her arms around Micah's neck.

"We will" she promised him before kissing his cheek and resting her head against his chest. This was going to be a massive change and it will be a lot to get used too but they will be okay, they just knew they would be.