Chapter 94: Filial Piety
On the road, the two men had just opened their mouths, ready to introduce themselves to the gathered crowd.
But at that moment Johnny cut them off without mercy:
Enough! All of you shut it! Wait until our BOSS makes the final call before any of you speak.
If they don't pass, they'll be two corpses soon enough—what's the point of remembering the names of the dead?
At Johnny's icy words the pair paled, dread and fear rising uncontrollably in their hearts.
They exchanged a glance and saw their own uncertain fate reflected in each other's eyes.
Beside them Arthur blinked in surprise at Johnny's unusual harshness.
He dropped his voice and whispered:
Johnny, you're never like this. What happened? Why so ruthless all of a sudden?
Johnny only smiled faintly and offered no answer.
He knew explaining would be pointless; Arthur's straight-arrow nature could never grasp the subtleties.
Besides, his own goal had always been to become the Gang's second-in-command, and a Gang has no use for two kindly faces.
Looking ruthless on Gang business was the surest way to secure position and power.
Therefore he kept his words few and his manner forbidding, lowering outsiders' expectations to rock bottom.
Only then would their emotional payoff peak when they next stood before Dutch.
Just then Johnny struck a deliberately cryptic pose, playing the riddler, and Arthur—burning with curiosity—spurred his horse alongside and pressed:
Come on, little Johnny! Explain this to me—Tahiti, the moonshine, that company you keep mentioning—what does any of it mean?
I was gone barely three days; how did so many plans pop up overnight?
Spotting the crucial question, Kieran and John nudged their horses closer, ears pricked for Johnny's reply.
Johnny paused a moment, then outlined the Gang's entire next move in a few crisp sentences.
It's all Dutch's idea, he said gravely.
He thinks our old way—one big score then months in hiding—is too slow.
After long thought he's decided the Gang will run its own business.
We'll use the profits to aid the poor folk who can't find work or are ground under the Capitalists' heels—every day we'll be pulling money straight out of those greedy bastards' pockets!
By framing it this way Johnny hoped to cement Dutch's central standing and keep the image of a far-sighted, benevolent father shining in the eyes of Arthur, John, and the other lieutenants.
After all, if he'd come this far only to let the Van der Linde Gang drift apart, he might as well not have come at all.
It was nearly noon when the six of them rode back into camp.
Dismounting, Johnny strode to Dutch's tent and said to the man reading inside:
Dutch, the plan went off without a hitch. I even ran into two moonshine peddlers hijacked by the ODriscoll Gang.
They're outside—brothers, eager to join the Van der Linde Gang. I didn't promise anything; thought you should test their worth.
Dutch handed him the half-smoked cigar and strode out confidently.
Two master brewers want in? Splendid! Let's see what you can do—no time to waste.
He signalled the others to help unload the gear.
The brothers thanked him and seized the moment to introduce themselves: Richard Thomas and William Thomas, from Armadillo.
The town's too chaotic—without a Gang's protection you can't do business—so they headed east.
But out here the bandits are just as bad; after only a few sales the damned ODriscolls caught them.
While the three talked warmly, Johnny quietly drew John and the others aside to a secluded corner.
From the wolf king satchel he briskly pulled a thick wad of Yankee dollars.
Clearing his throat, he murmured:
Here, let's split this. By Gang rules everyone gets a hundred.
He swiftly pressed three crisp hundred-dollar bills into their hands.
Once they'd pocketed their shares he plucked out four more hundreds and pressed them into Arthur's palm.
Arthur, remember that bottle of good stuff you asked me to stash? I slipped it into your wardrobe last night while no one was looking—Uncle and Pearson never noticed.
But you should give it to Dutch yourself; it's your filial gift.
And put these four hundred from the job into the tax box. Oh, and mention letting Kieran into the Gang.
With that Johnny turned to John, grinned, and clapped him on the shoulder.
Hey, John, take that money home and show the wife and kid!
But don't forget the plan the day after tomorrow. Rest up today—no rush on the money you owe me.
Finished with John, he looked last to Kieran and spoke earnestly:
Same for you, Kieran—remember the big plan the day after.
Arthur will throw you a proper welcome soon; I'm the first of us who truly believes in you.
He walked to his horse, stripped off the leather gun holster, and stowed it in his tent.
Seeing this, Kieran fetched the carcano rifle from his own horse and handed it back to Johnny.
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