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Then he saw Mr. Barlow who turned out to be a wiry old livestock baron with eyes like flint. He counted out 250 dollars in cash without preamble. "Double the reward I offered," he growled. "And another hundred if you keep quiet about how this ended." His gaze flicked to the corpses. "I don't want it go out and ruin my ranch reputation, got it?"
Caleb made the zipping motion across his lips. "Don't worry Mr. Barlow, I only came here to solve the rustler problem. As far as I'm concerned, this matter is finished."
The rancher's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Good man." He turned to bark orders at his men about disposing of the bodies as Caleb turned around and mounted Morgan.
Before getting on Morgan, Caleb caught Clive's arm. "Keep your eyes open. Whatever this was... it feels bigger than just rustling, told your boys to be careful as well." The ranch hand nodded solemnly as after that Caleb rode west following the road toward Valentine.
The journey passed uneventfully. Caleb consulted his map function periodically, noting familiar landmarks as he passed the Twin Stack Pass and Citadel Rock. About ninety minutes later, the unmistakable smell of livestock and coal smoke announced Valentine's outskirts as he arrived at the train station and the stock pens.
To his surprise, several townsfolk waved as he passed the stock pens,
"Afternoon, Mr. Thorne!"
"Good to see you back!"
"That rustler business was mighty fine work!"
Caleb tipped his hat awkwardly. He hadn't expected to be greeted when he returned back to Valentine, let alone greeted by name. The notoriety of solving Valentine's rustling problem had clearly taken shape and become solid when he left Valentine.
As he rode through, he arrived at the main intersection where the church was to his right and as he turned left, he spotted Sheriff Malloy leaning against the porch post of the sheriff's office. "Morning, Sheriff!" Caleb called.
Malloy turned, his weathered face breaking into a grin. "Morning, son! You finally decided to grace us with your presence again. Been more than a couple of days since I last saw you around."
Caleb reined Morgan to a stop. "Just had some business out of town, Sheriff. Everything quiet here?"
"Quiet as a church mouse," Malloy chuckled. Then his expression turned serious. "You keepin' your nose clean out there, son.?"
"Always, Sheriff." Caleb touched his hat brim. "Just honest work and some errand I had to do."
Malloy nodded approvingly. "Good to hear. Don't go breakin' any laws now, you hear? Oh and also visit me if you have time, I have a bounty posted that maybe you would like to see."
Hearing that there was some bounty posted Caleb was intrigued and decided to go to the sheriff's office after this, so with a nod and a final wave, Caleb turned Morgan left toward the gun store, hitching Morgan at the hitching post there, and then he went to enter the store. The familiar bell jingled as he entered.
Mr. Dalton looked up from polishing a rifle barrel, his face lighting up. "Well, I'll be! Caleb Thorne, back from the wilderness. What can I do for you today?"
Caleb approached the glass counter, his eyes immediately drawn to the display of leather goods. "Hello, Mr. Dalton, good to be back. I've been eyeing those upgraded holsters, that shiny bandolier, and the gun belt since my first visit here at the store. Think it's time I invested in some proper gear."
The gunsmith's bushy eyebrows rose. "Lookin' to go full gunslinger, Mr. Thorne?" He chuckled as he moved behind the counter. "Let me get those for you."
As Dalton retrieved the items, Caleb added, "Make that two holsters actually, I want an offhand rig too. And if you've got another Schofield in stock, I'll take that as well."
Dalton nearly dropped the armful of leather. "Two holsters, a bandolier, a gun belt, and a second Schofield? My my, someone's planning to make an impression." He then goes to open the cabinet behind him and takes out a gleaming revolver. "You're in luck, just got this beauty in yesterday. Finest sidearm a man could ask for here on Valentine."
The nickel plated Schofield caught the sunlight perfectly, its grips smooth and nice to look at. Caleb tested the action, smooth as butter. "This'll do nicely, I'll take it. So how much is in total for all, mister?"
Mr. Dalton hearing that began to lay out the purchases, 1x Bandolier was 69 dollars and 50 cents, 2x Upgraded Holsters which was 45 dollars and 50 cents each so 91 dollars in total, 1x Gun Belt was 58 dollars, and lastly, 1x Schofield Revolver is 84 dollars.
"So in total it comes to 302 dollars and 50 cents," Mr. Dalton said, then winked. "But for our local rustler solver? Let's call it 275 dollars even."
Caleb took out the bills from his satchel and counted them out without hesitation before giving them to Mr. Dalton. "Much obliged, Mr. Dalton." He immediately strapped on the new gear, putting on the fun belt first and then the weight of the twin holsters settled comfortably on his hips. The bandolier crossed his chest perfectly, allowing easy access to shotgun shells.
Caleb adjusted his new bandolier, realizing with mild embarrassment that he'd forgotten to stock up on shells for his double barreled shotgun. "I almost forgot, Mr. Dalton. How much for a box of shotgun shells? And how many come in each?"
The gunsmith chuckled, already reaching under the counter. "A dollar per box, eighteen shells each."
"I'll take eight boxes then," Caleb said as he counted out 8 dollars on the counter.
As Mr. Dalton put the boxes on the counter and retrieved the money, Caleb methodically loaded two boxes' worth into his bandolier's loops, the remaining six going into his satchel. The weight of the shells felt reassuring, preparation that could mean the difference between life and death. The familiar jingle of the doorbell announced his exit as he stepped into the afternoon sun.
Stepping back onto Valentine's bustling main street, Caleb crossed the muddy thoroughfare toward the sheriff's office. Caleb's mind raced with possibilities. His memory skill recalled Valentine's bounties from the game, Benedict Allbright the miracle cure poisoner and Ellie Anne Swan the black widow. But this world had proven more complex than the game's scripted events. The familiar jingle of spurs announced his entrance.
Sheriff Malloy looked up from his desk, eyebrows rising. "Well, well. Looks like you're truly interested in this bounty business, son." He gestured to the notice board. "Take your pick, posters are on the board to your right, both need bringing in, one alive and one alive or dead."
Caleb turned right and looked at the notice board to examine the posters. To his surprise, one familiar face stared back, and one he had expected. The left poster depicted Benedict Allbright's smirking visage, the text below detailing his crimes:
WANTED: BENEDICT ALLBRIGHT
For Murder by Poisoning
50 DOLLARS REWARD - ALIVE ONLY
The second poster showed a hard-faced man Caleb didn't recognize:
WANTED: DREW DALLAS
Leader of the Dallas Gang
100 DOLLARS REWARD - DEAD OR ALIVE
"After handling those rustlers," Caleb mused as he took down Allbright's poster, "I figured bounty hunting might be lucrative work. Dangerous, but profitable."
Malloy chuckled. "Truer words never spoken, and it looks like Mr. Benedict Allbirght got your interest." One of his deputies, a grizzled man with, stood from his chair.
"That Allbright's a low down huckster," the deputy spat. "Killed folks from here to Annesburg with his 'miracle cure.' Gets some sick satisfaction from watching 'em die slow. Killed more people than Landon Ricketts ever shot."
Caleb's folded the poster and put it inside his satchel. "Even wild cougars show more mercy than that." He turned to Malloy. "Where was he last spotted?"
"Saloon drunk thought he saw him north of here by the gorge," Malloy said, moving to the window. "You think you can bring him in? Alive, mind you. The widows he made deserve to see him dance at the end of a rope."
Caleb's memory skill provided perfect recall of Allbright's location, a secluded cliff overlooking Cumberland Falls along the Dakota River. "Consider it done, Sheriff. He'll face justice proper."
As he turned to leave, Malloy added, "Succeed with this one, and maybe you'll want to try the other, Drew Dallas. Leads a small time gang robbing stagecoaches along the upper Montana. Killed three guards and four people last week."
Caleb nodded his head and then left, getting on Morgan who was hitched on the hitching post, and then Caleb rode north at a steady trot, following the road toward Cumberland Forest. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the trail, the scent of pine sharp in the cooling air.
After around 15 minutes ride, Caleb spotted the telltale landmarks, the jagged rock formation his memory recognized as the "Wolf's Head," then the distinctive twin oaks marking the turnoff toward the river. Dismounting, he tied Morgan to a sturdy pine and continued on foot.
The sound of rushing water grew louder as Caleb crept through the underbrush. Peering over a rocky outcrop, he saw it, the ramshackle lean to from the game, its tattered canvas flapping in the breeze. A thin wisp of smoke curled from a small fire.
That where he saw Allbright sat on a log, stirring a noxious looking brew in an iron pot while his house was grazing . The man matched his poster perfectly and was the same as the one in the game as well, with greasy hair framing a somewhat middle aged face that might have been normal to look at if not for the cruel twist of his lips. He hummed tunelessly as he worked, occasionally taking swigs from a whiskey bottle.
He was surprised looking at a somewhat different Benedict Allbright, as the one he remembered wasn't humming and didn't have an iron pot, and this shows that there's a chance that some of the game scene and events, have been somewhat incorporated with the twist and sickness of the real world. Not all but there's a chance and this one is the first one he encounters.
At this time, Caleb's enhanced Perception caught three critical details, a revolver was beside Allbright on the log and its within Allbright's reach and he also notice several empty vials labeled "Dr. Allbright's Miracle Tonic" scattered about.
Drawing his Schofields, Caleb considered his approach. Taking Allbright alive would be tricky now, since it was slightly different from the one in the game, the man was clearly armed, wasn't like a depressed man, and had the high ground.
Then he remembers he had a rope that he had made into a lasso that he could use, perfect. He goes back to Morgan to take the lasso inside the saddlebag and put it in his gun belt, and returns back to his position laying low so Allbright doesn't notice his presence.
Using Eagle Eye, Caleb mapped his plan
1. Disable the revolver beside Allbright with a precise shot
2. Lasso Allbright before he could flee
3. Neutralize any resistance without killing
So after taking a deep breath and releasing his breath, that's when Caleb's first shot rang out, blasting the revolver into the air and fall from the cliff. Allbright yelped, scrambling backward as Caleb's lasso snaked out to encircle his torso.
"WHAT IN BLAZES-"
Caleb yanked hard, sending Allbright face first into the dirt. Before Allbright could recover, Caleb was upon him, pressing a revolver barrel to his temple. "Benedict Allbright," Caleb growled. "You're wanted for murder. Make this easy and you might live to see tomorrow."
Allbright's eyes darted wildly. "You don't understand! My tonic helps people! Sometimes the cure is worse than the-"
Caleb's revolver whipped him into unconsciousness. "Save it for the judge."
After that, Caleb searched Allbright's belongings and found a ledger listing victims and their symptoms and 32 dollars that he put inside his satchel immediately. Trussing Allbright like a Thanksgiving turkey, Caleb slung him over Morgan's rump and began the trek back. The poisoner regained consciousness halfway, alternating between whimpering and ranting about persecution.
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 6/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 6/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 5/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 1)
- Rifle (Lvl 1)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 1)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 1)
- Poker (Lvl 1)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 1)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
Money: 258 dollars and 99 cents
Bank: 40 dollars, 2 gold bars, and a large bag of jewelry