𝔴𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔰𝔲𝔫 ⟡ ʀɖʀ2

ᴇᴘɪʟᴏɢᴜᴇ - ᴘᴀʀᴛ 𝟸

April 1911

        Life is different nowadays, I still have never forgot those goddamn Pinkertons standing upon that hill the day Selina and I had our proper wedding. They needed to leave my family be. Selina and I weren't getting any younger, my thirty third birthday was coming up in June, Selina was going to be thirty four in October. We had kind of given up on having a fourth child, though, it wasn't like we weren't not trying for it either. Arthur was twelve now, Andrew ten, and little Sadie was only four. They were becoming fine young men and they swore up and down that they were going to protect their sister from anything and everything. Selina is prepping dinner while I'm reading the paper, apparently, Dutch was still up and around in the Tall Trees area. He had a new gang full of the redskins up there and I should've known he'd go for another setting that involved a gang, no way he'd be done just yet. Bill, his gang was causing hell down in New Austin, and Javier, well, he was doing everything in Mexico.
"Lover boy?"
"Yes darlin'?"
I question as I'm looking at the woman who was stirring some stuff up within a pot. "You remember how we was always talkin' and thinkin' on having another baby?" I just nod as I'm putting my paper down. "I've been real sick the few mornings. So, I went to the doctor yesterday after seein' my mother in Great Plains."
I'm on the edge of my seat now 'cause I knew either way, we didn't know if we wanted more children. Sadie wasn't here anymore, Charles neither. John was, but we barely wrote anymore. Figured he had better things to worry about than the state of some of his old gang members. We were protecting ourselves here, that's just how it was. "Go on... What happened?"
"Well--- Turns out--- "  Suddenly, we hear Arthur shouting for us, alongside Andrew and little Sadie. Selina and I look at one another before we're running outside to see the Pinkertons. Holding our children hostage. "What is the meanin' of this!" I shout as I'm coming down the steps, the male holds out his rifle at me. "Easy now, Mr. Sanders... Ms. Hinton. No harm will come to your children if you two just stay nice and calm." I look over to see Arthur trying to break free but with no mercy, the butt of another rifle is sent into his abdomen. "Who the fuck are you and why are you here?"
"Agent Edgar Ross... My associate Agent Archer Fordham, Pinkerton Detective agency. Did you and Selina believe you two could run forever? We saw you on one of the happiest days of your life four years back. You're both former outlaws who had big bounties on your heads. Now former members of your gangs are causing absolute hell around New Austin, Mexico... West Elizabeth..."
"What does that have to do with us?"
"We need you two... Both of you to hunt them down. We're going after John next anyway, he'll have no choice--- Just like the both of you. You both will be alongside him a little later in New Austin..." He begins going through his pocket before he pulls out a photo. "Oh--- And I believe this belongs to you." I take it from him and it's a photo of Nathan in I back in eighteen ninety nine, but it's stained with blood now.
"Why--- Where did you get this?"
"Took it off your friend down in Saint Denis when we were trying to track you two down. We wasn't sure if you both had followed him down there or what..."
"Where is---"
"Mr. Miller is dead, Mr. Sanders. He tried to run the moment he saw us, began shootin', we shot him down just as quick. Knew either way he'd be dead anyway, he wasn't gonna give you two up."

My whole world seemed to stop in that moment and I wasn't sure if I wanted to burst out into tears or attempt to shoot these two me in front of me. But I'm quick to notice more coming in upon their horses. One with a wagon to transport our children with them. "You killed my best friend." I mutter before a chuckle passes the older man's lips. "We did, and we'll kill you too."
"What... What do you want us to do then?"
"In exchange for your children back, we're going to have you two do just as we've said. Hunt down the former members of your gang for your freedom... Or die tryin'. Simple as that."

I look over his shoulder once more before I see little Sadie crying her little eyes out as they're putting all three of them on the wagon, I'm stepping forward before Agent Ross holds me back, "No... Sadie it's okay! It's okay! Momma and I will come for you! All of you! Don't you worry!" Selina is coming down now before Archer comes to step in front of her. "Where are you taking my babies? Huh?! Where are they going?" I knew she'd snap at some point. "A juvenile detention center... Some place neither one of you will ever know."
"They ain't done nothing wrong!"
"Yes! But their parents have! Ms. Hinton you either stand in line or they're gonna be killed right here in front of you! Now! Both of you got get your weapons, proper attire. It's a long journey to New Austin from Blackwater on the train. You sure as shit better be prepared! Look how you used to back in the day, see who recognizes you both as the criminals you are!" Agent Ross commands, "By the time you two return, your children will be gone and this will be a hell of a lot easier on the both of you." Selina and I shake our heads before we look at one another and head inside, Archer is following after us.
It had been years since Selina had used a gun, had done anything, but she's holding her own right now as she's dressed within her shirt, pants up to her upper waist, we had to get this done now, she hadn't finished telling me if she was pregnant again or not and if she was, well, this was the last thing I wanted for her right now. Me, the old outfit I wore when we went after Micah, both our gun belts upon our waists. Rifles on our backs, we just look at one another before Archer enters and motions for us to leave. I'd have to send a letter to one of Sadie's friends from back in the day who watched out ranch when we was gone in nineteen-o seven. So our cattle didn't die and everything was still in line. The horses, well, Luka was retired now and I knew it meant I'd get a new one in New Austin. Not sure how I felt about it but I knew I was gonna have a hard time accepting it.
Archer leads up out and stands beside Ross as we're coming down our steps. "Now... There's the two outlaws I remember from eighteen ninety nine." He looks back for a moment so they can gather up what seems to be handcuffs. I look over at Selina and her green hues focus on me. She takes up my hand before placing it upon her lower abdomen and I knew in that moment, she was confirming something I was hoping wasn't true. I swallow harshly before Ross is speaking once more. "Turn around, hands up, both of you." I sigh deeply before we both turn around our hands up in the air. Both Agents come up and take our hands and place them down below our backs, handcuffs around our wrists.
"Come now, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Hinton... It's time to relive the good ol' days." We look at one another again before leaning in for a kiss as best we could without touching and then we're being escorted off our property. Placed within one of these new motorized cars and realizing our life was changing again.

The end was nothing but a false bill of goods and a bitter amount of happiness.
No ending is happy. No matter how much you want it to be.