Unshaken

Icarus and Friends

He sat in camp for a while thinking about the events that had just transpired. He wasn't sure what to think. Arthur came up to him. "Come on, let's go meet Sadie." He said as the two walked to their horses. Liam didn't want to be in camp any longer.

They rode in silence for a bit, then Liam spoke up. "Do you think Molly actually said anything to the Pinkertons?" Liam asked. Arthur sighed. "I don't know. I guess we won't ever really know." Arthur told him. They rode for a while longer until Liam struck up a conversation again. "So, how was your island getaway?" Liam asked sarcastically. Arthur laughed. "Oh, amazing, if you enjoy a good old fashioned Cuban revolutionary war." Arthur said. "I figured as much. Do you really think this whole Tahiti thing is gonna work out? Dutch really don't seem himself right now. I know I've only been with y'all for a few months, but he don't seem like the same man who I met in Horseshoe. I figure it's just the stress though." Liam said. "I hope so. But with Hosea dead and Micah in his ear, it can't be good." Arthur said as they rode into Saint Denis. He followed him to Doyle's Tavern.

They hitched their horses and walked in. They walked in and both leaned on the bar. "Any problems coming in?" Sadie asked walking up. "Nah." Arthur said. "Guess they know we ain't in the city." Sadie said. "Who? Mr. Milton's friends?" Arthur asked. "Yeah, they've had patrols out ever since you boys disappeared. Well, at least you're alive." Sadie told him. "For now, yeah." Arthur said. "What happened in um..." Sadie asked. "Guarma?" Arthur corrected. "Yeah." She said. "Nothing nice." Arthur told her. "What happened to Dutch? Cause he seems..." Sadie got out. "I don't know. Seems as what began in Blackwater began happening years ago, maybe. A slow decline, I guess." Arthur said getting up and walking towards the door. Sadie and Liam followed. "What do you mean?" She asked. He was wondering the same thing. "I ain't quite sure." Arthur said as they opened the doors and walked outside. It was midday.

"What happened here?" Arthur asked as they walked to their horses. "Liam and I started gathering people up as best as we could after you boys left. You know that part. And Hosea?" She asked. "I know that too." Arthur said mournfully. "Well, we got Lenny's body out as well. Robbed the morgue and buried them together." Sadie said as she climbed onto Bob.

"Follow me." She said as she led them to their next destination. "So, what's your plan here?" Liam asked. "Well, I figure before we do anything, we need to make sure John's still even at this prison." Sadie told him. "And how do we do that?" Arthur asked. "We need to get up high enough to get a proper look at the place." Sadie said. "What... it's on an island, ain't it? Unless you're planning on learning how to fly." Arthur asked with sarcasm, amused. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. I've found us a hot air balloon." Sadie said with a laugh. "You ain't serious?" Liam asked. "Now, the pilot, or whatever you call him, he thinks we're just in it for a lesson, a bit of a tour. He's quite the character. I think y'all'll like him." Sadie said. "You know, I'm impressed. You've really stepped things up, ain't you?" Arthur asked Sadie as the three rode through the city.

"Hey, we didn't know if you was even coming back. Whole things hit folks really hard. You can see it... Strauss and Kieran are a bag of nerves, Swanson's, well, Swanson's actually gone and cleaned up his act. So I guess it ain't all gone to shit. I'm just happy you boys were able to find us. Javier said he got the letter at the post office." Sadie told him as they crossed the bridge of out of town. "That was a good idea." Arthur complimented. "Until the Pinkertons showed up." Sadie complained. "Even Liam here played a no-good bounty hunter seeking revenge on John Marston to find his whereabouts. Police told him everything." She added. "Oh did he?" Arthur asked looking over at him, a smirk on his face. "They're dumber than rocks at that police station. Played them like a fiddle." Liam said.

"Oh, by the way, I've been hunting O'Driscolls. Killed two of the sons of bitches at a campsite last week." Sadie said. Arthur looked at Liam with wide eyes, almost asking why he'd let her do this. Liam shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. He had no idea. "What?" Arthur asked, astonished. "Yeah, seems they've drifted down this way now." Sadie said. "You're a busy woman, Sadie Adler." Arthur told her. Liam could see the balloon in the distance. "Oh, she a beauty, ain't she?" Sadie asked, observing the balloon as they rode up. "From here on the ground, yes." Arthur said as they climbed off their horses.