"That makes two of us."
They rode into the storm.
They found Thomas near the creek.
His horse was dead.
He was hiding beneath a fallen tree.
He had been shot in the shoulder.
Daniel dismounted.
"Can you ride?"
Thomas nodded.
"Yes."
"Then get up."
They returned to the house.
Thomas was treated.
The wound was not fatal.
But Daniel knew the situation had changed.
Crowe had no intention of waiting until morning.
He wanted the land tonight.
Daniel looked at the storm.
"How many bullets?"
Elena counted.
"Thirty."
"That's enough."
"For what?"
"To make them think we have more."
Elena stared at him.
"You've done this before."
"Too many times."
They prepared defenses.
Windows were covered.
Doors reinforced.
Lanterns extinguished.
The horses were moved behind the barn.
Then Daniel heard something.
Water.
He looked at Elena.
"The spring."
"What?"
"Your husband knew."
"What?"
"The underground reservoir."
Daniel pointed toward the basement.
"He built a tunnel."
Elena stared.
Samuel had never told her.
They searched the basement.
Behind a wooden panel was a narrow passage.
It led beneath the house.
At the end was a stone chamber filled with clear water.
But there was more.
A second tunnel.
And inside it was a wooden box.
Elena opened it.
Inside were documents.
Maps.
Letters.
And Samuel's journal.
One entry changed everything.
Crowe knows about the spring. He intends to poison it if I refuse to sell.
Elena covered her mouth.
Daniel took the journal.
There were dates.
Names.
Payments.
Proof.
And one final entry.
If anything happens to me, Crowe is responsible.
Daniel looked at Elena.
"Now we have him."
A gunshot shattered the window.
Daniel pushed Elena down.
The siege had begun.
The Longest Night
Crowe's men surrounded the house.
They fired from the trees.
Daniel returned fire only when necessary.
He knew ammunition mattered.
Elena moved between rooms.
Thomas watched the eastern side.
Hours passed.
The storm continued.
Near midnight, one of Crowe's men tried the back door.
Daniel waited.
The man entered.
Daniel struck him with the rifle stock.
The man fell.
Elena tied his hands.
"Who is he?"
"One of Crowe's riders."
"Ask him where Crowe is."
Daniel woke the man.
"Where's Crowe?"
The man refused to answer.
Daniel leaned closer.
"You know what happens if Crowe gets inside."
The man's face changed.
"He's at the barn."
Daniel looked at Elena.
The barn.
That was where the horses were.
Crowe intended to burn it.
Daniel understood.
He and Thomas moved through the rain.
The barn was empty.
Too empty.
Then the door closed behind them.
Fire erupted.
Thomas shouted.
Daniel kicked the side door open.
They escaped.
The barn burned.
Crowe rode away.
Daniel fired.
Missed.
Crowe shouted:
"Tomorrow, Mercer!"
Daniel watched him disappear.
Then he turned to Thomas.
"You all right?"
Thomas nodded.
Daniel looked at the burning barn.
"We've lost."
Elena appeared beside him.
"No."
Daniel looked at her.
She pointed toward the house.
"We still have the water."
"What good is water if we don't have the land?"
"It gives us a chance."
She explained what Samuel had discovered.
The underground reservoir had an outlet beneath the eastern ridge.
If opened, it could flood the valley floor.
Daniel understood.