Ellis leaned against a tree, a bandage wrapped around his head, the remnants of his earlier scuffle still fresh in his mind. He looked at Kieran, the captured O'Driscoll, who was tied tightly and whimpering as his stomach rumbled. A smirk played on Ellis's lips as he toyed with the man's nerves.

"Come on, Kieran," Ellis taunted, stepping closer. "This can all be over in an instant. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Just then, Dutch and Bill approached, their presence demanding attention.

"Whoa, hold your horses there... it seems the cat has got our friend here's tongue," Dutch said, an amused glint in his eyes. "I was thinking Mr. Williamson could have a word."

Bill grinned, cracking his knuckles. "You ready to talk, boy?"

Kieran's eyes darted between the three men, fear creeping into his voice. "I told you, mister... I told all of yous. I don't know nothing, okay? They—They ain't no friends of mine. I've just been riding with them for a while."

"Horseshit," Bill shot back, his patience wearing thin. "You see, we heard that part... so how about you tell the truth? Dutch, what do you want me to do?"

Dutch tilted his head, considering for a moment. "Hurt him. So the next time he opens his mouth, it is to tell us what is going on. Ah... who am I kidding? One of O'Driscoll's boys couldn't open his mouth but he'd tell a lie. Screw it. Let's just have some fun... geld him."

With a dramatic flourish, Dutch made a "snipping" motion with his fingers, eliciting a gleeful reaction from Bill.

"Oh yeah!" Bill exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he jogged away, practically bouncing on his feet like a kid on Christmas morning.

Kieran's face paled. "What's he doing? Where's he going?"

"Oh, don't worry..." Dutch said, a sinister grin spreading across his face as he pulled down Kieran's pants. "—they're only balls, boy... just gonna cause you trouble."

Nearby, Bill returned, brandishing a set of gelding tongs that glinted ominously in the sunlight. He snipped them in the air a couple of times, reveling in the tension that filled the space.

"You know, in Imperial Rome... eunuchs were among the happiest... and most loyal of courtiers," Dutch mused, his tone light but the threat behind it unmistakable.

Bill cackled, holding the steaming hot tongs inches from Kieran's most sensitive parts. Kieran's eyes widened in horror.

"No, no, no, no... You're kidding me, right?" he stammered, panic rising in his voice.

"Of course," Dutch replied with a mock-seriousness that only heightened the tension.

Kieran's voice broke as he pleaded, "You sick bastards! What do you want from me?"

"Well, you are going to talk," Dutch said, leaning in closer, his voice low and menacing. "The only question is now..."

Bill tightened his grip on the tongs, bringing them closer, the heat radiating off them.

"—or after we got these little fellers off?" Dutch finished, relishing Kieran's growing fear.

"Okay! Okay! Listen," Kieran blurted out, desperation creeping into his voice. "I know where O'Driscoll's holed up... and you're right... he don't like you any more than you like him. He's at Six Point Cabin."

Bill's excitement waned slightly. "Aww..."

Ellis stepped forward, crossing his arms and grinning. "Wasn't so hard, was it? You bastard."

Kieran nodded vigorously, eyes wide. "I'll take you there, serious. I don't like him. I mean, I like him even less than I like you. No offense."

"Oh, none taken," Dutch replied, a satisfied smirk on his face as he exchanged a glance with Ellis and Bill.

"Okay then, O'Driscoll. Why don't you take a few of us up there... huh?" Ellis said, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he drew his knife and cut the ropes binding Kieran to the tree. The captive O'Driscoll wasted no time, quickly pulling up his pants as soon as he was free.

"I got this, Dutch. Should be fun," Ellis continued, a confident grin spreading across his face. "Alright you... come on... let's go, O'Driscoll."

As Dutch and Bill walked away, laughter echoed behind them.

Dutch, in a mock-serious tone, imitated himself, "Geld him!"

Ellis chuckled, shaking his head. "I hope you aren't leading us into a trap, O'Driscoll."

Kieran bristled, eyes narrowing. "I ain't no O'Driscoll."

"But you sure as shit were," Ellis replied, crossing his arms. He turned to John and Bill. "Come here... we got a social call needs making. Six Point Cabin, north of Valentine."

"Up into the hills. I'll show you," Kieran said, his voice a mixture of defiance and resignation.

"John, take this snake with you... any nonsense, kill him," Ellis instructed firmly.

"Sure," John replied, a smirk on his face as he stepped forward.

The four of them mounted their horses, Kieran climbing onto the back of John's steed, the tension in the air palpable.

"We're gonna pay your buddies our respects," Ellis said, his voice steady with determination.

"Is he taking us to Colm?" John asked, glancing back at Kieran.

"It's pronounced Colum. He's Irish," Ellis corrected.

"You've been spending too much time with Sean!" John shot back, laughter in his voice.

"My mother was Irish!" Ellis retorted, his passion flaring. "I sure as shit know it's pronounced 'Colum' and not 'Colm'."

Kieran shifted uncomfortably behind John. "I'm taking you to him. Look, I-I-I'll give you more directions when we're close, but if I know where we are, it's up past Valentine."

"Alright, I'll lead... Sharing saddle with an O'Driscoll. Who'd have thought," John said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Kieran's frustration bubbled over. "How many times I gotta say? I ain't an O'Driscoll."

John smirked, glancing back at him. "You sure look like one and... you smell like... goddamn. You smell like one too."

Kieran huffed, rolling his eyes. "I smell like horse shit."

"That's right. Boy, are you high," John replied, laughter spilling from his lips as they set off, the sound of hooves pounding against the earth echoing in the stillness of the evening.

As they rode through the rugged terrain, Bill pulled up alongside Ellis, a serious look on his face. "Ellis. You got throwing knives in your saddle bag. Dutch said you might... I was asked to give them... and I'm doing you the further courtesy of telling you about it."

Ellis turned slightly, a smirk on his lips. "Thank you, Bill. Next time you wanna give me something, how about you give it to me? Instead of hiding it somewhere, hoping the opportunity comes up to mention it."

"Last goddamn favor I do you," Bill huffed, clearly annoyed, but there was a hint of humor in his tone.

Ellis chuckled, shaking his head. "Only joking, boyo, calm down."

Kieran, sitting behind John, chimed in nervously, "Hey... hey... I-I-If I got my bearings, it's over here. Yeah... I know this country, take this track up through the rocks."

Ellis turned to John, concern etched on his face. "How you holding up, John?"

"Fine. Still ain't right, but I'm fine," John replied, determination in his voice despite the lingering pain.

Ellis smirked. "You damn well should be after all that bed rest."

"Hey, alright, Abigail wouldn't let me up... you know her... she won't be reasoned with," John defended, a hint of exasperation creeping in.

"Then you sneak off. Mary-Beth knows I'd do it anyways though. I'm glad you're alright though, Marston," Ellis said, a genuine warmth in his tone.

"And I'd do the same for you... if you was in a bad way," John replied, sincerity shining in his eyes.

"I hope so, if you can see out that gnarly eye of yours," Ellis teased, a grin spreading across his face.

John laughed, glancing back at Kieran. "You see, O'Driscoll? If this is how he treats his friends, imagine what he does to his enemies."

Kieran rolled his eyes, frustration creeping into his voice. "I got an inkling of what you all do to your enemies where you put those gelding tongs to my parts."

Ellis couldn't help but smirk, looking at Bill. "Bill, you still got those tongs?"

"I got a knife. Won't be so clean, but it'll do the job," Bill replied, his tone matter-of-fact, relishing the banter.

"Keep that in your mind, O'Driscoll. Right at the forefront of it," Ellis warned, his voice low and serious, though his playful demeanor lingered.

Kieran swallowed hard, his expression shifting as he realized the gravity of his situation. "I swear... I promise. I'm taking you to Colm as best as I can. You'll see. I'll make good."

"Williamson, Williamson," Ellis called out, his tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness.

"What. Sue?" Bill replied, glancing over with a raised brow.

"Just... to say, well... even you can't screw up killing O'Driscolls," Ellis quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Funny. And I guess you're good here... unless some feller comes along and tells you he's your Pa and cuts off your ear," Bill shot back, his expression turning stern.

Ellis rolled his eyes, brushing off the jab. "What are you talking about? Letting that fuck up in Valentine go? How wise do you think beating or shooting a man to death woulda been... with all them folks looking on? When we're supposed to be laying low?"

"I saw your eyes, Jenkins. You didn't go clever; you went soft," Bill countered, crossing his arms defiantly.

Ellis let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll take it... after all, you are an authority on not being clever."

Bill narrowed his eyes. "You gonna let Colm go free?"

"I was fighting Colm when you was pretending to fight Indians," Ellis shot back, his voice firm.

"Don't call my record into question," Bill warned, bristling at the implication.

"It's your abilities that call your 'record into question,' Bill," Ellis retorted, his tone unwavering.

John, riding ahead, chimed in. "Ellis will get the job done... for Annabelle."

Kieran, who had been listening, spoke up. "Now we go left... road'll take us up and round."

"Those are the hills. Head for 'em," Kieran continued, pointing ahead.

"Save your horses, we got a climb, boys," John said, urging them onward.

As they rode, Kieran glanced back at the gang, a contemplative look crossing his face. "You know... you all ain't that different from the O'Driscolls."

Ellis snapped, "What the fuck did you just say?"

"I been watching you all these weeks and, uhh..." Kieran began, but John interrupted him.

"You been tied to a tree... you don't know nothing about this gang..."

"Yeah, well, I'd... I'd say you don't know much about the O'Driscolls... but maybe I know more about you than you know about them... and I know all about them, so..." Kieran continued, his voice growing more confident.

"Tell us then... how we like those mongrel dogs?" John challenged, his eyes narrowing.

Kieran smirked slightly. "You're outlawed like them... you're out to survive like them... you live rough... you live hard... fighting the law... nature... you're out for yourselves...."

John shook his head, frustration etched on his features. "See? This is why you're an O'Driscoll, O'Driscoll. You're out to survive... we're out to live... free. Colm's a sneak thief and a killer... Dutch is... Dutch is more like a teacher."

Kieran shrugged, undeterred. "From where I been, you just look the same is all..."

"Then you looked, but you ain't seen..." John shot back, irritation rising.

Ellis couldn't take it anymore. "John? Shut that boy up."

"Enough out of you," John warned, cutting Kieran off as they rode closer to their destination.

Ellis took a deep breath, rallying the group. "Gentlemen, we're almost on 'em. Now... who knows if this son of a bitch we got with us is talking true... but if it's what he says it is... and Colm O'Driscoll's here... we can end years of fighting. Here and now."

"Amen to that," John agreed, determination shining in his eyes.

"Hear, hear," Bill chimed in, his enthusiasm rising.

Kieran, eager to prove himself, added, "I swear, this is where he wa—"

"Shut up," John interrupted, his patience thinning.

"Okay, now now cut left up here. W-We go down the hill, into the forest," Kieran continued, trying to lead them.

Ellis nodded, keeping his voice low but firm. "We're going in fucking quiet, taking them out as we find 'em, trying not to set things fucking off. But if we do... We move quick and hard. We settle this like we know how. Okay?"

"Okay by me," John replied, his focus sharpening.

"With you, Jenkins," Bill added, his eagerness palpable.

"Alright then," Ellis confirmed, feeling the adrenaline coursing through him.

Kieran guided them through the terrain. "Through the trees here. [...] Hey, we're real close. I'd leave your horses the other side of this clearing..."

"I'll get my guns off my horse and I'm ready," Bill said, already preparing for the fight.

"Easy, Bill. Quiet," Ellis reminded him, the urgency of the situation settling in.

Kieran leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "This is it. The cabin's just the other side of this hill."

"Okay, off your horses... let's go," Ellis commanded, dismounting swiftly.

"You gonna get them knives?" Bill asked, eyeing Ellis.

"I said easy," Ellis replied, gesturing for them to keep it down.

They all dismounted and approached the top of the hill, crouching low to avoid detection.

"Follow me, alright? It ain't far," Kieran urged, glancing back at them.

John's eyes narrowed as he stated, "We might'a shared a horse, but we ain't friends. Remember, I'm watching you. Every moment."

Kieran raised his hands defensively. "I ain't going to shop you now, come on. It'd be suicide."

"You'll die, boy. But you'll lose your balls first," Bill added, a dark humor lacing his words.

Kieran muttered under his breath, "Jesus Christ... Just over the ridge."

"Okay, get down," John instructed, signaling them to lower themselves further.

The four men crouched at the top of the hill, their hearts pounding in their chests. Kieran pointed towards the clearing below. "The cabin's in the clearing down there. There'll be a bunch of fellers hiding out there too."

"Are these fellers armed?" Ellis asked, scanning the clearing below.

"Armed. Drunk. Wary of strangers," Kieran replied, his voice low but steady.

"And Colum O'Driscoll?" Ellis pressed, wanting to know what they were up against.

"Oh, he'll be holed up in his cabin. Be passed out, booze blind, likely as not," Kieran said, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.

"Over there... someone's coming," Bill warned, nodding towards the approaching figures.

Three O'Driscolls strolled by, their laughter echoing through the trees. John acted quickly, grabbing Kieran, one hand clamped over his mouth while the other held a gun to his head.

O'Driscoll 1 chuckled, "So uh, who's gonna tell him we ain't got nothing for the pot?"

O'Driscoll 2 shrugged. "Let... me think. Feller that spooked the game, I reckon."

"I'm gonna drain it... I-I'll catch up," O'Driscoll 1 said, stopping at a tree while the other two continued a little further, stopping as they faced the camp.

"Nah, we ain't gonna fall for that... we're gonna wait, so you can tell him yourself," O'Driscoll 2 stated, glancing back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." O'Driscoll 1 replied, clearly annoyed.

"If... anyone's actually gonna shoot the messenger... it'd be that mean son of a bitch," O'Driscoll 2 warned, his tone cautious.

"Umm... yes, sir," O'Driscoll 3 chimed in, clearly nervous.

"Come on, shake it off," O'Driscoll 2 urged, trying to rally his companions.

Ellis held out a hand towards John and Kieran, signaling for silence. "Shh..."

Kieran gave a thumbs up, his expression resolute.

"Come on," Ellis whispered, moving closer to the edge.

"What're we doing about the pisser, Ellis? One by the tree," Bill asked, his voice tense.

"I'm going to deal with this first feller," Ellis replied, determination in his eyes.

"Okay, go to work," Bill encouraged, nodding.

Ellis slowly descended the hill, pulling out a throwing knife, his movements precise and calculated. He took aim and released the knife, striking the man cleanly.

"He's down," Bill confirmed, his voice low.

"Now stay here, don't you damn move," John instructed, releasing Kieran, who quickly crouched.

John and Bill moved down the hill to join Ellis.

"The next two... what's the plan?" Bill asked, scanning the remaining O'Driscolls.

"Let's get close to these two... make no mistakes here," Ellis replied, his focus sharp.

"That's what the knife's for," Bill said, a grin tugging at his lips.

"When we're there, we move at the same time," Ellis instructed, readying himself.

"Hurry up already," one of the O'Driscolls shouted, impatience evident in his tone.

Ellis and Bill crept closer, and when they were in position, they struck in unison. Ellis's knife found its mark, but Bill was a bit slow, allowing the second O'Driscoll to swing a gun at Ellis, catching him off guard.

"Ellis, feller on the log... what we doing about him?" John asked, urgency in his voice.

"This one's mine. We need it done right," Ellis stated firmly, eyes locked onto his target.

"Go on and show us then," John encouraged, trusting Ellis to finish the job.

Ellis moved in close behind the O'Driscoll, his heart racing as he stabbed him several times in the neck, silencing him before he could make a sound.

"Okay, now what? We're at the perimeter," John asked, glancing around for any signs of the others.

Ellis wiped the blade on the fallen man's shirt, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Wait on my mark... I'm going to take a look at these boys," Ellis instructed, his focus intense as he raised his binoculars to survey the camp.

"Sure thing," John replied, keeping his voice low.

Through the lenses, Ellis scanned the scene below. Several O'Driscolls were gathered around a campfire, laughter and shouts mingling in the air. He noticed three women with them—two standing, one perched on a man's lap. To the left, a couple of O'Driscolls stood guard, their attention split between their comrades and the surrounding woods.

"Alright, let's make this count," Ellis muttered, lowering the binoculars slightly before lifting his gun. He took aim and fired at one of the guards, the shot ringing out loud and clear.

The sound echoed through the camp, causing the women to scream and flee in panic.

"Men in the camp! Men in the camp!" one of the O'Driscolls shouted, his voice cracking with alarm.

"It's on. We move quick, we move hard!" Ellis yelled, adrenaline surging through him.

"Don't run away from me!" John shouted, charging forward.

"Die, you drunk idiots!" Bill added with a fierce laugh, following close behind.

"Time to move on 'em. You ready?" Ellis called back to his companions.

"As I'll ever be," John replied, determination etched on his face.

"Let's go!" Bill cheered, enthusiasm fueling his steps.

"How you doing, O'Driscolls?" John taunted as they charged into the fray.

"Glad to see ya!" Bill added, a wild grin on his face.

"It's on. We move quick, we move hard!" Ellis reiterated, pushing forward.

"Don't run away from me!" John shouted again, closing in on the retreating O'Driscolls.

"What're you hiding out in the woods for?" Bill yelled, taunting them as they scattered.

"None of them get out of here!" Ellis barked, resolute in his mission.

The O'Driscolls began to retreat, their bravado quickly dissolving.

"That's it. They're turning tail!" John exclaimed, satisfaction filling his voice.

"Leave 'em. Colum's still here," Ellis said, his eyes scanning the area for signs of their target.

"Hey... he said Colm'd be in the cabin," John reminded, glancing back at Ellis.

"I'll check. You look out here," Ellis instructed, his instincts kicking in as he moved toward the cabin.

Meanwhile, Kieran, who had been watching from the hill, stood up and started making his way down to join the others. As he approached, John and Bill began looting the bodies left behind in the chaos, hastily gathering weapons and supplies.

Ellis approached the cabin door, tense with anticipation. Just as he was about to open it, an O'Driscoll flung the door wide, knocking him to the ground with a hearty laugh. The man aimed his gun down at Ellis, ready to finish him off. But before he could pull the trigger, a shot rang out, and the O'Driscoll crumpled to the ground, a look of shock on his face.

Ellis sat up, momentarily stunned, then let himself fall back, catching his breath. Kieran stood nearby, the smoke still curling from the barrel of his gun.

"You alright?" Kieran asked, concern threading through his voice.

"Sure, thank you," Ellis replied, irritation creeping back as he got up and entered the cabin, weapon drawn. Inside, the cabin was empty, the silence almost deafening.

"Colum O'Driscoll... he ain't here. You set us up," Ellis said, stepping back outside and calling for Kieran.

"What?" Kieran asked, holstering his gun, confusion etched on his face.

"You set us up," Ellis accused, his gun now aimed at Kieran's head.

"No, I didn't," Kieran protested, hands raised defensively.

"You did! Colum O'Driscoll ain't here!" Ellis shot back, unwavering.

"He was here, I swear, I sw—" Kieran started, then suddenly straightened up, pointing at Ellis. "If I was setting you up, I wouldn't have saved your life."

Bill chuckled from the side, "It's a good point, Ellis."

Ellis hesitated, lowering his gun slightly. "Alright then, go on, get out of here."

"Eh?" Kieran replied, clearly confused.

"I won't kill ya," Ellis stated.

"I didn't set you up," Kieran insisted, but Ellis wasn't convinced.

"Get lost," Ellis ordered.

"Get lost?" Kieran echoed incredulously.

Ellis grabbed the front of Kieran's shirt, pushing him back a little to make his point. "I'm letting you run away... now go on, get out of here."

"That's as good as killing me. Out there... without you... Colm O'Driscoll's gonna lose his mind about this," Kieran argued, desperation creeping into his voice.

"So?" Ellis scoffed.

"So I'm one of you now," Kieran countered boldly.

Ellis sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Give me a break. Alright then. But I'm warning you..."

"Oh, I know," Kieran replied, a hint of determination in his voice.

"Come on, let's get to camp," Ellis said, relenting as they began walking.

"So you got the cash then?" Kieran asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"What cash?" Ellis replied, puzzled.

"Yeah, there's usually some cash... in the chimney," Kieran said, a grin spreading across his face.

With that, Kieran took off towards the cabin, excitement bubbling in him.

"I'll check it. Rest of you boys get to camp, quick," Ellis instructed, shaking his head at Kieran's enthusiasm.

"See, Ellis... I ain't so bad," Kieran chuckled, glancing back at him.

"Hey, Bill... you tell Dutch, old Kieran ain't worth killing... just yet," Ellis called out as he entered the cabin.

"Yeah, right you are," Bill replied, shaking his head with a smirk.

Inside the cabin, Ellis began his search. He quickly found money clips and bills scattered around, totaling $35. In a lockbox, he uncovered a ginseng elixir that could come in handy later. Above the fireplace, a Double-Barreled Shotgun caught his eye—he'd have to clean it before using it. But the real prize awaited him in the chimney: $600, nestled snugly and hidden away.

With a satisfied grin, Ellis stuffed the bills into his pocket, feeling the weight of the cash along with the thrill of the hunt. Whistling for his horse, Ellis quickly made his way back to camp.