NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Kieran Duffy
On this rare good weather day, the unfortunate Kieran Duffy was tied to Arthur's horse, baking in the sun in a very uncomfortable position. Although, Kieran probably wasn't enjoying the sun much.
Despite being tightly bound, he was still trying to break free and shouting, "You've got the wrong guy!"
Neither Arthur nor Javier paid him any attention, instead speeding up to catch up with Dutch and the others.
Kieran continued to shout, "Please, I'm just a nobody, sirs! There's no point in taking me!"
Arthur sighed inwardly, thinking, 'Too bad you were left at the camp and caught by Javier.'
About ten minutes earlier, Javier and Arthur had snuck into the O'Driscolls' camp and captured Kieran. Javier immediately started interrogating Kieran about Colm's whereabouts.
His plan was to get quick results by removing some of Kieran's body parts, thinking it would surely get him the answers he wanted. Arthur intervened, reasoning, 'What if he's lying? We can't verify his information.' He suggested taking Kieran back for further questioning. Javier readily agreed to Arthur's plan.
On the way back, listening to Kieran's endless chatter, Arthur hadn't said anything, but Javier had had enough. To get Kieran to shut up, he reluctantly asked, "Alright, stop yelling. What's your name?"
If he couldn't shut up, at least he could say something useful, Javier thought.
Kieran, lying face down on the horse, was in pain from the bumpy ride. Finally, someone was paying attention to him, and his first reaction was to shout, "I don't know!"
"Haha, you don't know your own name?" Arthur was amused.
Kieran realized they weren't asking for some high-level information but his name. "Kieran, Kieran Duffy."
Arthur, in a friendly tone, said, "Kieran, I don't want to lie to you, but today is really not your day, Kieran Duffy. But it's good to see you again."
Kieran was confused, not remembering ever meeting Arthur. Arthur didn't elaborate, just told him to lie still and not fall off, or he wouldn't stop to pick him up but let him be dragged.
Kieran still hoped it was all a mistake and asked, "Where are you taking me? What do you want to do with me? I'm innocent."
Javier, riding ahead, answered loudly, "To a place you won't like, to do things you won't like."
"No! No! Please!" Kieran begged in fear. "Oh! Please, I don't want to die, oh, I think I'm going to throw up."
Honestly, if it weren't for a past memory where Arthur remembered Kieran as a hardworking and somewhat pitiful guy, he would have tossed him off the horse and dragged him back. Kieran's noisy behavior was really testing Arthur's patience. Arthur could understand Kieran's fear, especially after Javier almost removed some of his body parts.
Arthur had to admit, Kieran really didn't seem like an O'Driscoll member. If anyone later called him an O'Driscoll kid, Arthur would definitely defend him.
Arthur finally decided to use a gentle approach to shut Kieran up. He said, "Listen, kid. From now on, if you say one more word, I swear I'll break every bone in your body."
Finally, Kieran stopped yelling and said fearfully, "I'm sorry... I was wrong, okay?"
Arthur said sternly, "Not one more damn word, understand?"
"Yes, yes!"
Arthur was amused by Kieran and said, "That's two bones."
Kieran didn't dare say another word. Arthur and Javier could finally travel in peace.
***
The two rode along the road.
"Something's not right, Arthur. There's a group of people coming our way. Gag that kid," Javier said urgently.
Without hesitation, Arthur dismounted, pulled out his pistol, and shoved the barrel into Kieran's mouth, then looked at Javier questioningly.
"It's the O'Driscolls returning. I recognize a few of them. Something must have gone wrong with Dutch's group," Javier said, his face serious and worried.
The two quickly moved their horses to the side of the road, hiding. Kieran overheard their conversation and knew the O'Driscolls were returning, but he had no intention of calling for help. Having a gun barrel in his mouth probably scared him straight. Kieran was well aware that if he called for help, he'd be shot in the head and have no chance of survival.
When Arthur also saw the approaching group, he was sure they hadn't encountered Dutch's group. The O'Driscolls didn't look like they had just robbed a train.
Arthur said, "There are twelve of them. We can take them by surprise from this position. I can take out three."
Javier estimated the distance and said, "I'll take out two."
They each took their positions. When it came to the O'Driscolls, Javier had no mercy. Every one of them he killed was revenge for the innocent women and children they had harmed.
On the road, the O'Driscolls were cursing the idiot who failed to detonate the explosives, lamenting their failed robbery after so much planning. The leader was discussing with another whether to take a detour, hoping to find a carriage or some rich campers to rob. Otherwise, they had no idea how to explain themselves to the boss. The men were also itching for a fight, having been cooped up in the camp for too long.
Suddenly, a series of gunshots rang out.
Like the Grim Reaper calling names, the first three in line fell, each hit twice—head and body. The horses panicked and bolted. At the back of the group, another man fell, and the fat man next to him saw his cowboy hat shot off his head, terrifying him.
Everyone was startled by the sudden attack. But these were men who lived in danger. Their first reaction was to draw their guns and return fire, shooting wildly into the woods.
For a moment, the air was filled with gunfire. The riderless horses fled.
Behind a rock, Arthur deftly ejected the spent shells and reloaded, while Kieran, tied up, huddled at his feet, trembling in fear.
The O'Driscolls quickly emptied their guns, and the gunfire began to die down.
This sudden gunfight had no dialogue, not even curses. Everyone knew that making a sound would make them a target. The surviving O'Driscolls had reloaded their guns and spread out in a line, cautiously searching for the enemy.
Arthur and Javier exchanged a signal. Javier nodded, stood up, and emptied his clip at the nearest enemy, then turned and ran towards Arthur's rear. The others chased after the gunfire, and the closest one spotted Javier's figure. Bullets flew, but Javier didn't look back.
Arthur stayed still until the men passed him, then suddenly stood up and took out three more. Realizing they were being flanked, the remaining O'Driscolls turned and fled towards the main road. Javier, seeing them turn, chased after them, took careful aim, and cleanly took one down.
Meanwhile, Arthur grabbed a nearby Springfield rifle. Instead of chasing the fleeing men, he took a shortcut to the main road, lay down, and aimed. An O'Driscoll who had just emerged from the woods was shot down by Arthur.
The last surviving O'Driscoll, the fat man who had his hat shot off, froze in place, not daring to move. Arthur didn't shoot. Javier, who had been chasing him, shot him from behind.
The Fat O'Driscoll didn't resist, lying obediently on the ground with his weapon discarded nearby.
Javier pressed his foot on The Fat O'Driscoll's back and pointed his gun at his head, asking, "Weren't you supposed to rob a train? What happened?"
The Fat O'Driscoll didn't put up any resistance and confessed everything. The explosives hadn't detonated, and they had returned empty-handed. They were on their way back to the camp, and no one knew where Colm was, though he had been at the camp earlier.
Meanwhile, Arthur had gone to fetch Kieran, throwing him on the ground nearby. When Arthur found Kieran, he was wriggling like a worm, trying to escape. It was actually kind of cute.
Arthur used his dagger to cut the ropes binding Kieran's hands and feet, then handed the dagger to him, saying, "Go on, kill him."
Kieran was stunned, holding the knife but stammering, "I... I..."
***
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