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"You won't harm her?"
"I've given my word, what more do you want? What's she to you, Aiden?"
Aiden stared at the Major for a long moment. "A friend. Washington has promised those people so many times, and never kept their word."
"Aiden, I'm not Washington."
Aiden pulled the whiskers at his chin, "This isn't my kind of work. And I don’t like bringing a woman in here to be ridiculed and scoffed at. She might be white, but she's been forced to live with them all her life. She doesn't deserve that."
"On the contrary, you've handled some of the roughest jobs I could give you. You always get your man Aiden. I'd expect no less this time. And if she is your friend wouldn't it be better that you go, than one of the others."
"In that regard your right.
Yeah, I guess you're right about that. And in the meantime, I'm still supposed to help them get their little girl back?" Aiden told him.
"I'll give you some vacation time when you get back." The Major blew his smoke in the opposite direction.
"Two weeks!"
"One."
"That's hardly worth the trouble."
"Alright, two weeks."
"Paid."
The Major scowled. "You drive a hard bargain, but I agree if you bring her in. And no harm will come to her."
"I expect you to keep that promise Major. Not under any circumstances do I want her hurt."
Aiden sighed, he knew he'd do it, but something told him it wasn't his kind of job. And even bigger something told him it wasn't right. The Major sought fame and was out to get it. Bringing in The White Silver Fox would put a notch on his sword. But at what price?
He wasn't sure he could trust the Major, or any soldier at this point. He knew how all
the Colonels were seeking fame fighting the Indians out here. And capturing her would sure be feather in their bonnet.
"Oh, and are you trying to tell me you aren't?" Aiden grit his teeth.
"Don't push it Aiden. One thing I'll warn you of, since you have an adversity to hurting women. Bringing her in might even get you a pay raise."
"When do you want me to leave?" Aiden asked his disgust for the job showing.
"I'll give you a couple of days to rest up, no more. That Mrs. Winters is as persistent as any woman I've seen."
"I noticed. I'll make a list of supplies I'll need." Aiden frowned, his voice was like acid, but this whole thing turned his stomach. "Major what if I can't even find her, like you said those mountains go on forever. Colonel Gibbon couldn't find them when he was up that way, he had all kinds of problems. And he had a whole troop with him."
"I know, I was with him. But I can't go up there myself since the Colonel is gone. If you don't get her, we could have more massacres on our hands by summer. She's attacking troops not civilians. The more they attack, the more likely a war will break out."
"The pay and the grub around here aren't worth it Major, what if I just quit?"
"You won't. Look, you catch her, you'll be famous. You don't go, I'll send someone else who might not be as nice to her." The Major said standing up and extending his hand for a shake.
Aiden stood up now and faced the Major squarely. "If I bring her in, I'll be with her until she leaves and goes back to her people. Understood."
"You have feelings for this woman?"
"I do." Aiden didn't hesitate to tell him.
