"Makes my job easier."
Then another voice came from the shadows.
"Put the gun down, Rook."
Both men turned.
A tall stranger stood at the far end of the bridge.
He wore a faded cavalry coat.
A silver ring gleamed on his right hand.
His face was partly hidden beneath his hat.
But Daniel recognized the name when Rook whispered it.
"Pike."
William Pike stepped into the light.
The last surviving gunman from Black Mesa.
The man whose testimony had just fallen into Caleb Mercer's hands.
And the man who had returned to Red Hollow to finish a job that had begun seventeen years earlier.
William Pike stood beneath the old bridge, his silver ring catching the last light of the afternoon.
Silas Rook kept his revolver pointed at Daniel Tolan, but the confidence had disappeared from his face.
"You shouldn't be here, Pike."
Pike stepped closer.
"Neither should you."
Rook glanced toward the road.
"Sheriff Voss gave me orders."
"I know."
"Then stay out of it."
Pike's expression remained unreadable.
"Put the gun down."
Rook laughed nervously.
"You think you can come back after seventeen years and tell me what to do?"
"No," Pike replied. "I think you have about three seconds to decide whether you want to walk away."
Daniel watched the two men carefully.
He had heard Pike's name during his imprisonment, always spoken in whispers. According to Voss, Pike had disappeared after Black Mesa. According to Jonah Mercer, he was the last man alive who knew exactly how the massacre had begun.
Now he stood less than twenty feet away.
Rook tightened his grip.
"One."
Pike's hand remained beside his holster.
"Two."
Rook swung his revolver toward him.
The gunshot cracked beneath the bridge.
Daniel dropped to the ground.
Rook staggered backward, his weapon falling into the shallow water. He clutched his wounded shoulder, staring at Pike in disbelief.
Pike approached and kicked the revolver away.
"Three."
Rook collapsed against the stone wall.
Daniel rose slowly.
"Why did you help me?"
Pike looked at him.
"Because I've spent seventeen years doing the opposite."
He removed a folded paper from his coat.
"Your sister is with Caleb Mercer."
Daniel's breath caught.
"She's alive?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"At the old cattle barn north of town."
Daniel started toward the road.
Pike caught his arm.
"Wait."
Daniel pulled away.
"I've been locked underground for eleven months. I'm not waiting anymore."
"Then listen while you walk."
They left the bridge together.
Behind them, Rook struggled to his feet and disappeared toward Red Hollow.
Pike did not pursue him.
There were more important things than revenge.
For several minutes, they walked in silence.
Then Daniel asked, "Were you at Black Mesa?"
Pike nodded.
"Yes."
"Did you kill those people?"
The older man's expression tightened.
"I killed one."
Daniel stopped.
Pike turned toward him.
"I won't lie about it."
"Who?"
"A surveyor named Matthew Ellis. He was trying to escape. I shot him."
Daniel stared.
"Why?"
"Because I was young, greedy, and stupid enough to believe money could make anything right."
"That's not an excuse."
"No."
Pike lowered his eyes.
"It isn't."
They continued walking.
"Who ordered the massacre?" Daniel asked.
Pike looked toward the mountains.
"That's the question everybody has been asking."
"And?"
"Samuel Mercer arranged the meeting. Harrow financed the land purchases. Voss organized the men."
"Then who ordered the shooting?"
Pike stopped.
"Horace Bell."
Daniel frowned.
"The land commissioner?"
"He was younger then. Ambitious. Afraid the surveyors would expose his forged records."
"Why did Samuel sign the confession?"
"Because Bell threatened Jonah."
Daniel felt cold.
Pike continued.
"Samuel believed the boy had been captured. Bell told him Jonah would die unless he accepted responsibility."
"But Jonah escaped."
"Samuel didn't know that until much later."
Daniel looked toward Red Hollow.
"And Voss?"
"Voss helped Bell cover everything up. Then Harrow discovered what they'd done."
"Why didn't Harrow report them?"
"Because his company had benefited from the stolen land."
Daniel shook his head.
"So everybody protected everybody."
Pike nodded.
"Until there was nobody innocent left to protect."
They reached the ridge overlooking the cattle barn.
Smoke rose from its chimney.
Pike stopped.
"Go to your sister."
Daniel looked at him.
"You're not coming?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I have one more thing to do."
Daniel studied the older man.
"You're going after Bell."
Pike said nothing.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Don't kill him."
Pike looked surprised.
"After everything he's done?"
"If you kill him, he becomes another dead man whose secrets disappear."
Pike considered the words.
Then slowly nodded.
"Your grandfather would have liked you."
Daniel's expression changed.
"You knew him?"
"Yes."
"What was he like?"
Pike looked toward the distant valley.
"Braver than the rest of us."
Then he turned and walked back toward town.
Daniel watched him disappear.
For the first time in eleven months, he was free.
And for the first time in seventeen years, the truth about Black Mesa was finally within reach.
Mara was standing beside the barn window when she saw a figure approaching across the field.
At first, she thought it was one of Voss's men.
Then the figure stepped into the sunlight.
She dropped the cup in her hand.
"Daniel?"
The man stopped.
Mara ran.
She crossed the yard without noticing the stones beneath her feet or the cold wind against her face.
"Daniel!"
Her brother opened his arms.
She collided with him so hard that he nearly fell.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Mara buried her face against his shoulder.
Daniel held her tightly.
"I'm here," he whispered.
She was crying.
Angry tears.
Relieved tears.
Eleven months of fear and grief escaping all at once.
"I thought you were dead."
"I know."
"They told me you left."
"I know."
"I searched everywhere."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
She pulled back.
"Don't you dare apologize."
He smiled weakly.
"Still giving orders?"
"Somebody has to."
Caleb and Jonah emerged from the barn.
Jonah stared at Daniel.
Then rushed forward and embraced him.
"You stubborn fool."
Daniel laughed.
"Good to see you too."
Caleb shook Daniel's hand.
"Welcome back."
Daniel looked at the documents spread across the table inside.
"You found them."