Chapter 12 - The Last Ride of William Harcourt
Harcourt arrived before sunset.
But he did not bring an army.
He brought four desperate men and enough dynamite to destroy what remained of the spring.
Elias saw them from the ridge.
“This ends today.”
Aayoka stood beside him.
“Yes.”
Major Mercer wanted everyone evacuated.
Aayoka refused.
Her people refused.
This time Red Mesa would not be abandoned.
Elias developed the plan.
No glorious gunfight.
No reckless charge.
They would use the canyon itself.
Narrow passages.
False trails.
High ground.
Creed had once exploited fear.
Now Harcourt would face people who were no longer afraid.
Night fell.
Harcourt entered the canyon.
“BOON!”
Elias heard him.
“You took everything from me!”
Elias called back.
“No. You gambled it.”
“You were nobody!”
“Still am.”
Harcourt appeared near the spring.
His clothes were torn.
His face looked hollow.
Power had abandoned him.
All that remained was rage.
He held dynamite.
Aayoka stepped from the shadows.
Harcourt aimed his gun.
Elias raised his own.
“Put it down.”
Harcourt laughed.
“You love her?”
The question surprised Elias.
Aayoka looked at him.
Elias answered simply.
“Yes.”
It was the first time he had said it aloud.
Harcourt's smile twisted.
“Then watch.”
He turned his gun toward Aayoka.
A rifle cracked.
The weapon flew from his hand.
Major Mercer emerged from the ridge.
Harcourt stumbled toward the dynamite.
Elias tackled him.
They fell into the spring.
Harcourt fought wildly.
“You ruined me!”
Elias pinned him.
“No.”
He remembered what he had told Creed.
“You did that yourself.”
Mercer pulled Harcourt from the water.
Iron cuffs closed around his wrists.
This time there would be no escape.
Harcourt stared at Aayoka.
“This land will belong to someone eventually.”
Aayoka stepped closer.
“It already does.”
Harcourt was taken away.
His men surrendered.
Nobody died.
For Elias, that mattered.
The next morning he returned to the spring.
Aayoka stood there.
Sunlight illuminated the canyon.
“Last night,” she said.
“What?”
“You said something.”
“I said several things.”
“One.”
Elias suddenly became uncomfortable.
“I remember.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
Aayoka waited.
Elias laughed nervously.
“You're going to make me say it again?”
“Yes.”
He stepped toward her.
“I love you.”
Aayoka touched his face.
“I know.”
“That seems unfair.”
“I love you too.”
For once, Elias Boon had nothing clever to say.
So he kissed her.
Gently.
Without urgency.
Without promises neither could yet understand.
May you like
And somewhere beneath them, the spring continued flowing.
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