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Dutch clapped his hands together. "Then it's settled. We cozy up to the Grays carefully and when the time is right..." He made a grabbing motion. "We take what we can take and get out of here immediately." As the meeting broke up, Caleb caught Arthur's eye. The older man gave him a small, approving nod.
After the meeting ended, Arthur immediately headed out toward Dewberry Creek according to Hosea's instructions on during the day when he, Hosea, and Caleb were in Rhodes doing the investigation disguised as sightseeing and looking around the town.
Meanwhile, Caleb was heading toward Pearson's Cauldron to have dinner of Pearson's usual cooking of stew with the meat Caleb had hunted for him yesterday, and as he took a serving of the stew and poured it into the bowl in his hand, the aroma was good, well much better than the usual, when suddenly he heard Sean's Irish accent voice calling for him that forced Caleb to look up toward the direction of the voice.
Seeing Caleb looking in his direction, Sean approached with that signature swagger, a grin plastered on his face. "Caleb Thorne, I've got big news, after going out from yesterday evening and the rest of today, I found us a perfect target!" His grin widened when Caleb levelled a sarcastic eyebrow at him.
"Why, Mr. Sean MacGuire," Caleb drawled, finishing his pour with a flourish. "You truly surprised me. I figured I'd have to wait a damn whole week before hearing you found us something."
When Caleb said that, his voice was full of sarcasm, and he punched Caleb on his shoulder when he reached him and said, "Why, you keep being that sarcastic with me and I will replace Arthur with you for the most sarcastic person ever to me, the dashing Sean MacGuire!"
Caleb laughed this time as he truly couldn't ever stand Sean's antics in a comedy way, and after laughing, he took a spoonful of the stew before asking Sean, "So what did you find for us, oh dashing Sean?"
Sean leaned in with a smile, lowering his voice like a conspirator. "First, before I tell you what it is, I gotta know, are your people Jacobites or English lovers, Caleb?"
Caleb, hearing this, just shook his head as he remembered this conversation from the game due to his Past Life Memory skill, which was the start of the conversation from the companion activity Arthur had with Sean, and he could get a Double Action revolver for free from this mission.
And as he thought of that, Caleb responded by saying, "They weren't either, but if they were paid, they would become either of the two or even both of them."
Hearing that answer, Sean laughed happily and said, "Good answer, Caleb! 'Cause in this case, you're gonna love what I just found for us."
Caleb took two spoonfuls of the stew before asking, "What's that?"
Hearing that, Sean, with a grin, said, "I was riding around last night and I came across this old cabin, couple of fuckers lazing around outside, all liquored up. I didn't think nothing of it, until then I came across this hunter this morning down by the river and he told me they're a stick up crew. Says they hit a train a couple of days back near Emerald Ranch. Nice feller he was, shared a couple of bottles to drink we did, then I robbed the bastard blind."
After saying that, Sean let out a chuckle, and Caleb shook his head with a smile and after another spoonful before responding, "So you believe that feller?"
Sean immediately responded back, "No reason not to. If he's right, it'll be a big haul for the both of us. I saw three of them... maybe more... but I reckon you and me... we could take 'em down real easy."
Caleb was listening to Sean talking while eating his stew, and when Sean finished talking, Caleb was already on his last bit of his stew, and then he responded, "Alright, I'm intrigued by this prospect of yours, Mr. MacGuire. Let's go check it out. Wanna do this tonight or tomorrow?"
Hearing that, Sean said, "Let's do it tonight, I reckon they're all liquored up by now, probably dead drunk even." After saying that, Sean chuckles.
Caleb nodded his head and put his bowl on the tin basin behind him before saying, "Okay then, let's go check it out now. Meet me at our horses, let me take my repeater and shotgun first at my tent."
Hearing that, Sean chuckled while saying, "Great! Them sons of bitches think they're mean, haha, they'll about to get a lesson in mean from the dashing Sean MacGuire and the fierce Caleb Thorne!"
Caleb made his way to his tent, the last lingering taste of Pearson's surprisingly good stew fading from his tongue. The idea of a quick score always appealed to him, especially one that came with the added bonus of Sean's chaotic energy.
He rummaged through his satchel, pulling out his Lancaster Repeater and his Pump Action Shotgun. Both were well maintained, their mechanisms smooth and oiled, ready for whatever trouble Sean had unearthed.
He also double checked his ammunition pouches, making sure he had plenty of repeater rounds and shotgun shells. A quick glance at his inventory system confirmed he was well stocked. He knew Sean was more of a pistol man, but having heavier firepower would be a distinct advantage.
He exited his tent to find Sean already waiting by their horses, whistling a jaunty tune. His usual wide grin was even wider, a clear sign of his excitement. "Ready for some fun, Caleb?" Sean asked, patting the neck of his horse, an unruly mustang.
"As I'll ever be, Sean," Caleb replied, mounting Morgan. "Alright, lead the way, Mr. MacGuire."
Sean, ever the showman, spurred his horse forward with a whoop, heading out of camp and into the fading twilight. Caleb followed, a slight smile playing on his lips. He knew what lay ahead from the game, but of course, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.
They rode through the darkening landscape, the familiar sounds of the wild replacing the chatter of the camp. Sean, despite his earlier boisterousness, kept a surprisingly quiet pace, his eyes scanning the treeline as they rode. It was a testament to his actual skill, a reminder that beneath the bluster was a capable outlaw.
Caleb, meanwhile, used his Eagle Eye to subtly survey their surroundings, picking out animal tracks, distant figures, and potential ambushes. The Perception he possessed was invaluable in these situations.
"So, what kind of cabin are we talking about?" Caleb eventually asked, breaking the silence. "Is it deep in the woods, or more out in the open?"
Sean grunted, "More secluded. Not exactly hidden, but not on any main road either. Tucked away amongst some trees, up on a small hill. The hunter feller said they were makin' a ruckus. Sounded like they weren't too concerned about being found."
"Good," Caleb mused. "Means they'll be sloppy. Easier for us."
They continued riding for what felt like an hour, the moon now casting long, distorted shadows across the terrain. The air grew cooler, and the faint scent of pine filled their nostrils. Caleb's Horse Mastery made the ride comfortable, even over rough terrain. He felt a deep connection with Morgan, a creature of strength and loyalty.
"We're getting close now," Sean whispered, pulling his horse to a halt as they entered a dense thicket of trees. "Let's leave the horses here, and go the rest on foot. Don't wanna let them hear us coming."
Caleb dismounted, his movements quiet and deliberate. He unholstered his Lancaster Repeater, checking the chamber. Sean, too, had drawn his pistols, a pair of gleaming Cattleman Revolvers.
"Here's the plan. I'll deal with 'em." Sean murmured, his voice sounded jolly. "Let's make sure to keep one of them alive, to tell us where they stashed their money. So we don't need to waste time looking around."
Caleb nodded. "Got it. Hope you know what you were doing Sean, I hid on the back. If I found the situation dangerous, I would pick them off from the side. We clear the cabin, find the stash of money, and get out." He thought about the Double Action Revolver he was hoping to acquire. It would be a useful addition to his arsenal.
After that short conversation, Caleb and Sean moved carefully up the hill under the cover of darkness, their boots silent on the fallen pine needles. The cabin sat just ahead, dimly illuminated by moonlight filtering through the trees.
They hid behind the trees, using the tree and the darkness as a cover. From their concealed position, they saw the person sitting on a chair outside with a rifle or repeater in his hand and a lantern beside him
"Look there's one of 'em outside," Sean whispered. "This is good, it means the others are either partying and liquored up or even dead drunk."
Caleb, hearing that, was silent as he knew that they weren't dead drunk, but he couldn't erase that possibility as well as what happened in the game and the real world he was living in now, could make some changes.
Outwardly he responded to Sean by saying, "Of course, but we still need to be careful, don't wanna mess around and let something happen."
Sean grinned confidently as he kept his eye on the man, "Of course, leave it to me. I'll do the talking to them, you head back and cover me like you said before."
After saying that, Sean walked out and down the hill heading toward the Cabin, while Caleb used the scope on his Lancaster Repeater to keep an eye on Sean as he walked toward the man who sat in the chair.
He could hear their conversation with Sean shouting, "Hey there!" which woke up the man who sat on the chair, and when he realized there's a stranger in front of him, he pointed his gun toward Sean while saying, "Now, I'm gonna give you five seconds to get the hell outta of my property, boy!"
Sean put both his hands up slightly and said, "Look! I don't want no trouble! I just thought you might like to know we passed a big posse of lawmen heading this way! About a dozen of 'em, heading this way!"
Hearing that, the man was shocked, stood up, and said, "What? Where?" And Sean immediately said, "Right here!" As he said that, Sean took out his revolver from his holster and shot the man right in the head.
The shot was loud and Caleb was tense, Sean as well as he could see through his scope, but they waited for a couple of seconds preparing for combat and there was no reaction from inside the cabin.
When they don't see or hear any reaction, Sean took cover behind a wagon near the cabin, he shouted toward Caleb, "Looks like the rest are out dead drunk, Caleb! Come down here and join me, let's head inside and see!"
Hearing that, Caleb immediately joined Sean behind the wagon, walking out of the forest and down the hill, and after joining Sean, both of them immediately walked slowly toward the door and opened the door slowly.
When they opened the door, Inside, the cabin lay in quiet chaos, five drunks sprawled across chairs and the floor, snoring loudly, oblivious. Sean chuckled. "They're so dead drunk that a gunshot doesn't wake 'em up!"
Caleb allowed himself a chuckle hearing that. "Maybe one shot doesn't wake 'em up, but several shots might wake 'em up, so you did a great work shooting that man right on the head. Now, I reckon we should kill 'em and leave one alive, ask for where they stashed the money, and get out of here."
Sean nodded his head in agreement and so they moved swiftly. Four shots cracked in rapid succession, four men slumped dead. One stirred, groggy as he awoke to the smell of spilled whiskey and gunfire. "What—? Please don't kill me!" he stammered, fear in his eyes.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 2)
- Rifle (Lvl 2)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 2)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 3)
- Poker (Lvl 3)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 1)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv1)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
Money: 463 dollars and 45 cents
Inventory: 1000 dollars, 2 gold nuggets, and 1 gold bar
Bank: 320 dollars, 4 gold bars, a large bag of jewelry, and 3 gold nuggets