Devotion (John Seed)

32. Hunting Trip

"Jacob?" Amelia asked, even though it was obvious that the large red head standing in the door way of the ranch was Jacob Seed himself. She was actually questioning his presence, why was he here?

"Put a jacket on" Jacob ordered. Amelia opened her mouth to say something but he just glared at her, she closed her mouth and nodded before grabbing her jacket and throwing it on other her shoulders. She wondered if he was going to take her somewhere isolated in the mountains and finally put a bullet in her head.

Jacob didn't show any clear emotion or thought as he turned and walked towards his truck, Amelia followed him assuming that is what he wanted her to do. "Don't worry, I have John's permission to take you out" Jacob assured her, she noticed the slightly condescending tone in his voice.

"I don't need John's permission" she told him as he climbed into the driver's seat and she climbed into the passenger seat of his truck.

"Right, you don't need permission but you still can't leave the ranch on your own. You wouldn't want you friends in the resistance knowing that you are a traitor, would you?" he asked, smirking a little to himself as he drove out of the ranch.

Amelia was about to speak again but was interrupted by the sound of movement in the back seat, she turned her head and her eyes widened when she saw Pratt. He was sitting behind her with a defeated look on his face, but there was a hopefulness in his eyes when she climbed into the car. He looked between Jacob and Amelia, wondering what he meant by 'traitor'.

"How would your friends react if they found out that you are sleeping in silk sheets while they fight for the cause that you once led?" Jacob asked, keeping his eyes on the road, Amelia hung her head feeling ashamed for leaving them but knowing that she is happier where she is now. "I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you deputy. They all have to find out eventually, John won't be able to keep it quiet forever and I'm pretty sure that even Peaches has figured it out by now" he shrugged, glancing back at Pratt for a moment.

"They weren't my friends" Amelia mumbled and avoided looking at him, why try to hide it at this point?

"What was that deputy?" she could practically hear his smirk without even looking at him.

"The members of the resistance weren't my friends, they knew nothing about me. Pratt, Hudson, Burke, Whitehorse...I would consider them my friends" Amelia explained, being honest with him. If she was going to make her relationship with John and his family work, she should be honest about this. Let them know that she won't betray them.

"And you have let them down" Jacob commented, obviously a little amused.

"No...I won't let them down" she shook her head, still refusing to look at the soldier.

"Look at him, deputy, you let him down" he ordered, referring to the defeated looking Pratt in the back seat.

"I'm not finished yet" Amelia deadpanned, finally looking at Jacob and keeping her gaze stern.

They fell into a silence and Amelia watched the scenery around her change through the window, she squinted when she realised that they were leaving Holland Valley. "Where are we going? And why?" she asked, turning back to Jacob.

"Whitetail Mountains, best place to hunt in Hope County" Jacob stated casually as he continued to drive.

Amelia looked at him in confusion. He was taking her hunting? She just turned her head to look out of the window again, wondering what else the day had to offer.

After a long drive, Jacob finally stopped the car at the end of a dirt road and climbed out of the car. Amelia and Pratt climbed out of the car and just followed behind him, Pratt was carrying a large duffel bag on his shoulder. They kept walking until they reached a vantage point, the three of them climbed the ladder and Pratt placed the bag down once they reached the top.

Jacob silently opened the bag and pulled out two sniper rifles, he handed one to Amelia. He pulled out the ammunition as well, handing her some and placing some on the floor in case they needed some more. Jacob walked towards the edge of the vantage point and looked out across the visible land. Amelia took this chance to stand beside Pratt.

"Are you alright?" she asked Pratt sincerely, he looked so defeated and she hated seeing him like that.

"W-what is he talking about?" Pratt asked Amelia, concern clear in his eyes. Pratt wasn't stupid, he saw the way that John looked at her and even the way that she looked at John but he knew Amelia. She wouldn't betray them, there has to be something else.

"Peaches, I told you to be quiet" Jacob reminded him harshly, gesturing for Amelia to walk over to him.

Amelia did as she was told, ending up lying on her stomach beside Jacob who was in the same position. They both held their rifles, looking through their scopes to find their prey. "Why did you bring me hunting?" Amelia asked, a question that had been playing on her mind as well as Pratt's.

"I owe Joseph. He wanted me to 'bond' with you, so here we are. Now, shut up and shoot something" Jacob rolled his eyes, commenting blankly. Amelia looked at him a little shocked before returning to the task at hand. He was being his delightful self as always.

Jacob and Amelia spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon hunting, pretty much in silence. About half way through the session Pratt even moved to sit beside Amelia, who he had a pleasant conversation with until Jacob got annoyed by them speaking and told them to be quiet. Surprisingly, Amelia actually had some fun. She actually kind of enjoyed herself.

Afterwards, they packed their guns away and walked back to the car, climbing into their previous seats. "So why does Joseph want you to 'bond' with me?" Amelia asked, almost laughing to herself as Jacob began the drive back to the ranch.

"Because we are brothers, we have the usual sibling arguments. He was pissed that about what I said to you and that I made you upset with John. Basically he wants me to make it up to John, let you know that they are supportive of you both" Jacob explained, surprising the deputy.

"What about you? You still hate me?" Amelia asked, smirking slightly, feeling pretty safe now even with the soldier.

"None of us ever hated you, but I still don't trust you. However, don't tell anyone I said this, John is my little brother and I have to look out for him but he likes you and we don't need him getting pissed with us" he shrugged, Amelia guessed that he was being sincere in his own strange way.

"Charming" Amelia scoffed, rolling her eyes. Pratt kept looking between them, amazed by the way Amelia was speaking to Jacob.

"Don't think that I am going to go easy on you now, deputy" the soldier warned, becoming defensive and his usual self again.

"Of course not" she shook her head. They spent the rest of the journey in silence.