To Catch A Ghost: a Red Dead Redemption fan fiction

Chapter 4 - Diversions and Casualties

The crisp morning breeze stirred the manes and tails of their horses as they stood overlooking Tesoro Azul; their backs were turned to the canyon wall and the sun had just begun to rise over the abandoned settlement, splashing brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow upon the white walls of where La Phantasma and her gang surely hid from the eyes of weary travelers.

Maddie sighed through her nose and frowned as she scanned the gang hideout below through the scope of her high-powered rifle. She shook her head as she lowered the scope from her face and rested the firearm across her lap. Beneath her, Gypsy blew and lowered her head as she pawed at the ground impatiently.

"See anything?" Jack asked, looking over at her. He held his horse's reins taut: the stallion had begun to prance about in place and was growing all the more anxious by the second.

Maddie shook her head before raising the gun back up to scan over what she'd been staring at for the past two minutes. She surveyed the entire miniature fortress, pausing on some of the buildings when she thought she spotted movement. Growing frustrated with the lack of light, she grumbled under her breath as she slung her rifle over her shoulder and across her back. She drew her right pistol and held it aloft in preparation as she nudged her horse forward.

"Something's not right here," she pointed out as she walked her horse toward the south entrance gates. No sound came to her ears except the sighing of the breeze and the flapping of tattered cloth from within the hideout. As the sun tiredly rose and bathed the world in light, she stopped her horse before the gates and sized them up, her brow furrowing with confusion.

Jack stopped his palomino beside her, his pistol held at the ready as well. "Where are they?"

His wife shrugged and dismounted. "Only one way to find out..." Cautiously, she approached the gates and rested a hand on one of the doors. Glancing back at her husband, who was right behind her with his gun in his hand, she pushed open the door and pointed her gun forward.

The Marstons rushed forward and dove behind the nearest cover possible; several empty crates served as their protection as they entered the hideout. However, with all their preparation and willingness to fight back whatever opposition presented itself, they were met instead by silence. They glanced up over their cover and were faced by an empty gang hideout, and nothing more.

"Strange," Maddie murmured as she and Jack stood up and lowered their guns. Looking around, their bodies still tense, the bounty hunters advanced deeper in the settlement.

"No kidding," Jack agreed. "Did they just up and leave?"

"C'mon, let's look around. You take the right side, I'll take the left." She glanced back at him, right into his eyes. "Be careful."

"Always am."

Their inspection took them no less than ten minutes. In that allotted time, all they found were remnants of previous tenants: a smoldering fire here, hasty boot prints and hoof prints there, horse droppings, and indentions in the ground where people laid down for the night. The crates and barrels that littered the place looked as if they had been dragged about and moved into certain positions that would help fortify the gang's protection from the outside world and other threats.

Husband and wife met in the center of the abandoned hideout, their guns holstered and their spirits sour with disappointment and worry.

"This doesn't make any sense," Jack began as he looked about them once more. He shook his head. "They were just here: the fires are still smoldering, and the footprints are pretty fresh. Where did they go?"