If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead, be sure to check out my Patreon!!!
Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12
___________________________
The Lancaster was the easiest grab. But the pump action's rapid fire capability called to him as it would be devastating in close combat, and it's not that the double barrel's stopping power was undeniable, but two shells wouldn't cut it against nine men, even if it meant tangling with the Porters. 'Nine against one? More like nine against surprise,' he thought grimly.
'Better odds than facing Dallas unprepared.'
Decision made, Caleb grabbed his hat and headed out. The afternoon sun hung heavy as he mounted Morgan, her coat shimmering with sweat as she was grazing and Caleb gave her a sugar cube as a treat before he was ready.
"Let's move, girl. We've got a long ride."
With a nudge of his heels, they set off toward Window Rock.
The journey north was uneventful at first, open plains giving way to sparse woodland. Caleb kept one eye on his Map Function, which displayed the terrain he'd already explored. Soon he crossed the river and Window Rock loomed ahead, its rocky terrain of a cliff could be seen by him with the railways as well.
As they neared the landmark, Caleb slowed Morgan to a trot. The forest thickened, the air growing damp with the scent of pine and earth. According to his memory, Chez Porter's farm lay northwest of here, tucked away like a festering wound.
'Nine inbred killers. One of me.'
Caleb followed the main road and soon saw a path on his left leading into the forest, the terrain rising slightly. He directed Morgan to take the path, her hooves crunching softly against the undergrowth. The trees thickened, casting long shadows as he neared his destination. Soon, he spotted the farm nestled among the trees.
He guided Morgan off the path toward a dense thicket, tying her to a tree near a bush that provided good concealment. She snorted softly but settled as he patted her neck, handing her another sugar cube.
"Stay here, girl. Won't take long."
After dismounting, he checked his gear. His Schofield revolvers, were clean and fully loaded. His Carbine repeater was slung over his shoulder, and his double barreled shotgun sat ready at his side. His knife was secured at his hip. He took a steadying breath, crouched low, and moved toward the farm.
His boots made no sound as he crept past the fence, keeping low behind the cover of a hay filled shed. He peered out, spotting three of the inbreds standing near the barn, engaged in idle conversation. They laughed in their thick, slurred accents, making crude jokes as they worked around the farm.
Caleb readied both Schofields, fingers tightening on the grips. Just as he prepared to strike, a sharp voice rang out from the second floor of the barn.
"You lazy bastards get back to work! Ain't got time for yer bullshit!"
Caleb risked another glance. A woman stood on the barn's upper level, a rifle in hand, barking orders at the men below from the window. Perfect opportunity.
He exhaled and activated Dead Eye. The world slowed, the air thick like molasses. He painted X marks on the woman's chest and head, then marked each of the three men below. Time snapped back to normal.
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.
Gunfire erupted in rapid succession. The woman jerked back, her rifle clattering from her hands as she fell down backward. The three men below barely had time to react before bullets found their skulls, dropping them like sacks of grain.
The echoes of the shots had barely faded before the rest of the Porters sprang into action. Doors burst open on both sides of the cabin. Two men rushed out from the left, another two from the right. An older man, likely the patriarch, shouted in fury as he scrambled onto a horse, attempting to flee.
Caleb pivoted, raising his Schofield, and fired. The bullet slammed into the old man's back. He let out a strangled cry before slumping forward, falling from the saddle in a heap.
The remaining four inbreds spread out, taking cover behind fences and barrels. Bullets whizzed past Caleb as he dove behind a water trough, reloading quickly.
One of them rushed forward with a shotgun. Caleb popped up and fired, the bullet hitting his shoulder. The man staggered but kept coming. Caleb pulled the trigger again, this time, a clean headshot. The inbred collapsed mid stride.
Three left.
The next attacker peeked from behind a crate, squeezing off a few wild shots. Caleb ducked, rolled, and fired as he came up, hitting the man in the chest. He gasped, clutching at the wound before toppling backward.
The last two were more cautious, keeping their distance, firing in his direction. Caleb took cover behind a wagon, glancing at his Carbine repeater. He drew it, steadied his aim, and squeezed the trigger.
CRACK.
One of them dropped instantly.
The last one cursed, making a break for the barn. Caleb switched to his shotgun, flanking around the side. He caught the man scrambling up the ladder inside.
BOOM.
The blast sent the last Porter sprawling onto the barn floor, unmoving.
Caleb exhaled, lowering his gun. Silence settled over the farm, broken only by the distant cry of birds and the faint rustling of trees in the breeze.
With the fight over, Caleb set to work. He searched the right side cabin first, rifling through drawers and cabinets. A few crumpled bills and loose coins added up to 25 dollars. Not bad.
Upstairs, he climbed a ladder to a loft where an old wooden box lay beneath dust and cobwebs. He cracked it open, inside was a pump action shotgun, dirty but serviceable, where he picked it up and looked at it. He'd clean it up with a gun oil and get it checked at a gunsmith later.
Next, he moved to the barn. The dead woman lay where she'd fallen. He searched her pockets, finding another 2 dollars and 50 cents.
Beside her was a locked chest. Breaking it open, he found a neat stack of bills, 100 dollars.
But he wasn't done yet.
Caleb knew from memory when playing the game, that more loot was stashed at the back of the barn. He climbed down and went to work, moving stacked crates and barrels. It took time, but eventually, he uncovered the lockbox hidden in a hole beneath the debris.
He pried it open, revealing the real prize, 350 dollars in cold hard cash. Smiling, Caleb took out the money and put it inside his satchel before proceeding to loot the bodies of the inbred.
In total, he gained 18 dollars and 32 cents alongside two silver pocket watches and two silver buckle belts. Satisfied with his finds, he moved to the left cabin, a smaller structure compared to the right side cabin.
Inside, dust and grime coated every surface. A rat scurried across the floorboards as Caleb rummaged through drawers and cabinets, his experienced hands quickly separating junk from valuables.
He found 8 dollars tucked inside a tin box beneath a rotting bedframe. Near the stove, an unopened bottle of Guarma rum caught his eye. Popping the cork, he took a few sips, the strong liquor burning his throat but quenching his thirst.
Stepping outside, he took a deep breath, letting the cool air clear his head before moving on to the horses. There were four of them, all sturdy and well fed, likely used by the inbred for riding and bringing stolen goods. Caleb checked their saddlebags, coming away with three golden nuggets and an additional 11 dollars and 23 cents.
Eyeing the horses, he considered his options. Selling them at the stable would fetch a fair price, but keeping one as a backup was a wise decision. Using a length of rope he found near the barn, he secured them together and led them toward where Morgan was tied. He fastened the rope to a sturdy tree before heading back to the farm to retrieve weapons from the fallen.
By the time he was done, his haul included 8 Cattleman revolvers, 2 Carbine repeaters, and 1 double barreled shotgun. He carefully distributed the weight, stuffing the revolvers into Morgan's saddlebags and securing the larger firearms onto one of the pack horses. His newly acquired pump action shotgun rested comfortably in the saddle holster of his mare.
Morgan whinnied as he mounted up, her ears flicking back expectantly. He chuckled, patting her neck. "Yeah, yeah. You always know when I've hit payday."
Gathering the reins of the other horses, Caleb gave the farm one last look. The bodies of the Porters lay scattered, their reign of terror at an end. Without another thought, he turned Morgan toward the trail and set off, disappearing into the woods as the sun dipped lower in the sky. His destination is Valentine.
As Caleb rode into town leading four horses behind him, heads turned. Whispers spread among the townsfolk, some recognizing him from his past dealings with rustlers near Valentine. He ignored their curious stares, guiding the horses straight to the stable.
Mr. Levi, the stable owner, looked up from his work, his brows raising as he took in the sight. "Well, well. These four are mighty fine horses. American Paint breed. You lookin' to sell, Caleb?"
Dismounting from Morgan, Caleb nodded. "Yeah, Mr. Levi. But I want to keep one and store it in the stable. I'll sell the other three. How much are you offering?"
Mr. Levi eyed him carefully. "You got papers for 'em?"
Caleb shook his head. "Ran into some bandits north of Valentine while hunting. They didn't make it out. Figured I'd bring their horses here instead of leaving 'em to wander."
Mr. Levi sighed, rubbing his jaw. "At least you ain't stolen 'em. Tell you what, 20 dollars apiece for the three I'm buyin'. That's 60 dollars total."
"Deal." Caleb accepted the cash, tucking it away before patting the remaining horse. "And this one, I'll keep. Make sure she's taken care of. Also, can you keep the guns I have on one of the American Paint Mr. Levi? I plan to sell it later."
Mr. Levi grinned and nodded his head. "She's in good hands and don't worry I will store it myself for you."
With business done, Caleb retrieved Morgan's saddlebags, his guns on Morgan's saddle, and slung them over his shoulder putting them in his hotel room, before making his way toward the saloon. It had been a profitable day, and a hot meal with a drink wouldn't hurt.
As he stepped onto the wooden porch, the doors swung open, and a familiar face exited, Sheriff Malloy. The grizzled lawman's sharp eyes locked onto Caleb's.
"Thorne."
"Sheriff." Caleb tipped his hat, keeping his posture casual.
"Heard some folks saw you bringing in a string of horses. Didn't happen to stumble into anything unlawful, did ya?"
Caleb smirked. "Just did your job for you, Sheriff. The Porters won't be terrorizing travelers anymore."
Sheriff Malloy studied him for a moment before nodding. "Reckon the town owes you for that. Just keep your nose clean, Oh also I'll be waiting for when you pick up that bounty for Drew Dallas."
With that, the sheriff walked off, and Caleb entered the saloon. The scent of whiskey, sweat, and tobacco filled the air. He made his way to the counter, dropping 4 dollars and 50 cents for a lambs fry and a glass of whiskey.
After finishing his meal at the saloon, Caleb returned to his hotel room for some much needed rest. The events of the day had been profitable, but the ride to Rhodes would take time, and he needed to be sharp for whatever came his way.
As he lay down, he briefly went over his plans, mentally mapping out his route and making a checklist of what he needed to do before leaving Valentine. Within minutes, exhaustion took hold, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
The morning sun filtered through the window as Caleb stirred awake. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before stretching. Today, he had business to take care of before heading south.
Slipping into his Vaquero outfit, he grabbed the pump action shotgun wrapped in an cloth that he put on the dresser table, and put it under his arm, and headed downstairs. The town was already stirring to life as he stepped out onto the street, Valentine's usual mix of traders, ranchers, and drifters moving about.
________________________________
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: 733 dollars and 39 cents
Bank: 40 dollars, 2 gold bars, and a large bag of jewelry