Unshaken

A Short Walk in a Pretty Town

For the next few weeks while Arthur was recovering, the men picked up his slack and continued to bring in what he did. Liam was pretty bored because he'd stayed in camp. Hosea told him it probably wasn't a good idea to be leaving camp while they were busy with Arthur. He obeyed and helped out whenever he could. He even saw Charles throw Micah across camp for disrespecting him. That made his week.

Finally Arthur was back on his feet and was back to his normal self. He was about to leave to go meet with Bill, Micah and Sean in Rhodes for a meeting with the Grays. Liam felt that the situation was odd considering the Grays were meeting for security guards. "They got a huge family, why would they need guards?" He said to himself as Arthur climbed on his horse to leave camp. Liam followed and caught up to Arthur. "So you're tagging along?" Arthur asked. "Guess so. Just don't see why the Grays would need security with a family that big. Don't make no sense." He said. "Well, you need to stay out of their sight, considering they wanna see you swing." Arthur said as they rode into Scarlett Meadows. "I know. And I will. I'll be on the lookout for anything unusual." Liam said as they rode into the southern town.

Bill, Micah and Sean were waiting on the side of the bank. "We been waitin' for ya, Arthur."
Micah said. "Well, I'm sorry to have kept you." Arthur replied sarcastically. Micah jumped up off the hitching post he was sitting on. Bill and Sean had rifles over their shoulders. "Come on. Let's get going." Micah waved him as the group started off. "I'll stay behind to keep watch." Liam said. "Oh I'm sure." Micah sarcastically said. Liam rolled his eyes in annoyance. "What's the damn plan?" Arthur asked impatiently. "We're meeting a couple of the Grays over at the saloon. They spoke to Bill about a job... needing security." Liam heard Micah say as the men trailed into town. Then Liam noticed something.

Something wasn't right. The town was almost completely vacant. He saw a couple of folk, but they looked spooked and were walking off. His stomach started to turn. Talk got around Rhodes fast. There was no way they didn't know about the schemes the gang had been pulling. Liam thought for a second. If they were being ambushed, it was about to happen. He took off as fast as he could towards the group of men passing the general store. He caught up to them by the hotel. "Hey! Hold up a moment." He yelled in a hushed tone. "What?" Micah asked annoyed. The men still walked. Liam grew more worried. He looked and could've sworn he saw a Gray hiding behind a building. "Something ain't right here, I know this town." Liam said. Arthur then looked at him and back at the other men. "Hey, hold up. The boy's right. This don't feel right." He said in a menacing tone.

Sean turned around to Arthur. "Now it don't feel right? I coulda told you tha-" Sean was cutoff by a bullet shooting a sniper lawman on the roof, causing the man to fall off the building. Liam looked to see Peters holding a rifle in the streets. He saluted Liam and quickly took off back to the saloon. Micah immediately took out three other men who suddenly emerged. Liam didn't like him, but he didn't deny that Micah Bell could shoot a gun. "Get down!" Arthur yelled frantically as the men dispersed behind buildings. The law and Grays flooded the town as the five men shot back. Bill yelled out in pain. "I can't believe you shot me, you bastards!" He yelled. "You okay?" Arthur asked amidst the chaos. "I'm fine!" Bill yelled, taking out another man.

Liam and Sean went behind some crates across from the Sheriff's office and Micah and Arthur stayed toward the saloon. "How could you not think this was a trap?" Arthur yelled, angry at Micah. "You sure you wanna talk about this now, Morgan?" Micah asked. "Come on, we can get across the street and get those bastards in the hotel." Liam told Sean as the two took off across the street. Micah and Arthur went through both entrances of the gun store and killed the law in there. Liam shot and hit some of the men on the balcony of the hotel as did Sean. He ran in through the back and took cover beside one window and Sean took cover near the other window that faced the gunsmith. Liam smashed the window and started to fire. They shot on as the Grays flooded in the town.

"I'd say this was a mighty fuckin' lucky day for me, Little English!" Sean yelled as they shot through the windows. "I'd say so! Irish luck ain't a myth after all!" Liam yelled reloading his revolver. Arthur shot the last man that was standing in the street and the four met up in the middle of town. Then they heard Sheriff Gray. "Sons of bitches! I want them dead!" He yelled insecurely. The four walked and stood in front of the Sheriff's office. "Sheriff Gray! You need to get ahold of this town, it's going to hell!" Micah antagonized. "Who do you think you are? A bunch of two-bit thugs from God-knows-where? You're so dumb to think we don't know what you been doing!" The sheriff yelled from inside. "Come out, Sheriff! It's over." Micah yelled. "We put down far worse than you! A hundred times over! This is the Grays' town! Always has been! Always will be!" Sheriff Gray yelled from the inside. This comment boiled Liam's blood. He was ready to blow the man's brains out. He hated him and his entire family and the Braithwaites for what they did to the town. "Only Grays I see left around here... is you!" Micah yelled, getting under the man's skin. Liam smiled at the thought of the Grays being no more.

"You want us to come out? We'll come out!" Gray threatened. The door bursted open and to Liam's surprise, it wasn't only the Sheriff, but Bill being held a gunpoint and forced out the door by Sheriff Gray and other deputies. "Oh...Bill!" Arthur groaned. "Guns on the ground now!" One of the deputies yelled. "Don't do it!" Bill yelled. "You know we can't do that. You put the gun down, Sheriff!" Arthur yelled. "I'll blow his brains out!" Gray threatened as he quickly raised his gun to shoot Bill. In the blink of an eye, Arthur shot at Gray, but hit the gun which hit the sheriff in the face causing him to fall down. Sean and Micah quickly took out the other lawmen. Bill tumbled down the steps. Liam saw Gray come to his wits and go for his gun.

"Don't do it, Sheriff." Liam said slowly walking up the steps. The Sheriff was on his back propping himself up. He turned to Liam and surprise and anger washed over his face. "You! You was the one that killed his own daddy and widowed his mama! You ain't nothing but trash, boy." The Sheriff taunted. He again went to grab his gun but Liam kicked it far away from him and lunged onto Gray. He grabbed the sheriff by his collar and stared him down. Liam looked into his eyes with a hatred he didn't know he possessed. The sheriff grew scared. "I came to you for help all them years ago when I was just a child, and you laughed in my face. Then, you took the only person I ever loved from me. Now you know how it feels." Liam hissed menacingly. Before the Sheriff could say anything else, Liam grabbed his knife and slit the man's throat. Blood shot up onto his face and chest. Gray convulsed for a second before dying.

Liam stood up and wiped his face. He turned around to see Arthur not far from him. The other men were almost to their horses by the bank across town. Arthur almost couldn't believe what he saw and looked at him with pity, seeing the pain in his eyes. "Guess this is what I am now." Liam looked down at the ground, wiping the blood from his face again. Tears filled his eyes. He felt like a monster. He felt Arthur's hand go on his shoulder. "You ain't nothing but a boy who got caught up in life. Pain can make you do crazy things." Arthur said, calming him down. "Everytime I thought I had a chance, they crushed it." Liam said. "I know, but life goes on. Come on. Go get yourself cleaned up. Come back to camp soon, we can't be here much longer." Arthur said patting him on the shoulder as they both walked to their horses. Liam took one last look into Rhodes and saw bodies of people everywhere. Just like in 1895.

Liam rode to the lake and washed off. He wasn't about to walk into camp looking like he'd just came from a bloodbath. He looked out onto the setting sun on the lake, climbed on his horse and headed back to Clemens Point.