RDR2: Faithless

25: Fleeting Joy

We met the others at the dock a bit later, glad to finally be free of this hell. Hercule was there to see us off as well. I felt a new sense of freedom, like I could leave whatever worries I had on this island behind me. I knew it was wishful thinking, but if I thought I could leave them on Guarma as I boarded the boat, maybe some of them could be left at least.

"I thought I was dead for sure," Javier said as we helped him onto the boat.

"We got a problem," Micah walked towards us, "They got the captain. Fussar don't want us going anywhere. He knows exactly who we are. If he can keep us here for a few more days, well... They've also surrounded us with guns, so when we try to sail out, he's gonna blow holes in us."

"This feller is really beginning to try my patience," Dutch growled.

"I think we have no choice but to go free our friendly ship captain, and blow up the artillery," Micah said, producing dynamite.

"For once I agree with you," I took a few sticks of dynamite from him.

"Bill, guard Javier on the ship," Dutch said, "Ann, Micah, Arthur, we got some work to do."

"Why can't Ann stay?" Bill argued.

"Listen, Williamson, I got a debt to repay," I growled, "And you best believe I want to shoot as many of these bastards as I possibly can to repay it."

"Hercule, lead the way," Dutch nodded.

"This way," Hercule said, leading us towards the artillery positions.

The first artillery post only had two guards, so Micah and I took them out silently before planting our dynamite.

"Got it secured properly, cowpoke?" Micah asked mockingly.

"I think so," I said.

"Knowing you, I have my doubts," he said.

"Shut up," I growled, lighting it as he laughed.

"Come on, run!" he yelled, standing up and booking it from the artillery.

I followed him, ready to dive for the ground to avoid shrapnel. The explosion was a beautiful noise, but our work wasn't quite done.

We got back to Dutch and Hercule, taking cover as soldiers spilt out of ruins to attack us. We had the benefit of them not knowing exactly where we were at first, and that allowed us to pick off a large portion of them.

We headed for the next set of cannons, no longer worrying about stealth. We just had to get rid of the guns and grab the captain, then we'd be free.

Micah rigged the dynamite on the next cannons as we held the approaching soldiers off. Gunshots filled the air as more and more appeared, but Micah yelled at us to take cover so we ended up giving them a chance to advance.

"Ah, puta," there was someone right in front of me by the time we managed to defend ourselves again. My Spanish was non-existent, but I knew enough to know that word.

The man in front of me caused me to pause, I knew his face and I knew what he had done. I roared in anger and used the butt of my rifle to smack him to the ground, beating him over and over again, ignoring the gunshots going off around me.

"You will never do that to another girl," I screamed as I hit him, "You bastard!"

The gunshots around me died down, but I continued beating the man below me, my arms almost acting on their own accord.

"Ann," Dutch grabbed my gun, preventing me from hitting him again, "Stop now."

Angry tears were falling from my eyes as I wrenched my gun from his grasp and shot the man in the face once for good measure, stalking off, shaking slightly.