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Caleb's instincts kicked in. He lunged forward, clamping one hand over the man's mouth while driving his knife into the side of his neck. The sentry's eyes bulged in shock, and he let out a muffled gurgle as blood spurted from the wound. Caleb held him tightly, his own heart racing as he felt the man's body go limp.
The sentry's repeater rifle slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground, but thankfully, the sound wasn't loud enough to alert the others. Caleb carefully lowered the man's body to the ground, his hands trembling slightly as he wiped his knife on the dead man's shirt.
Blood had splattered onto his gloves and shirt, but he didn't have time to worry about that now. He slung the repeater rifle over his shoulder, feeling the weight of it against his back. It was an addition to his arsenal of weapons, and it would come in handy if things went south.
Caleb turned his attention to the second sentry, who was still pacing near the edge of the camp. The man hadn't noticed anything amiss yet, but Caleb knew he had to act quickly. He began to move toward the second sentry, his knife ready, when he heard the man call out.
"Hey, Bill! You still awake over there?" the sentry called, his voice low but carrying in the quiet night. When there was no response, the man frowned and started walking toward the spot where Caleb had just killed the first sentry. "Bill? You better not be sleeping on the job again, you lazy—"
Caleb cursed under his breath. He had hoped to take out the second sentry before he could raise the alarm, but now he had no choice. He crouched behind a boulder, his mind racing. If the sentry found Bill's body, the camp would be on high alert, and Caleb would be outnumbered. He needed to act fast.
As the sentry approached, Caleb tightened his grip on his knife and waited for the right moment. The man was just a few feet away now, his repeater rifle held loosely in one hand. Caleb could see the confusion on his face as he spotted Bill's body lying on the ground.
"What the—" the sentry began, but before he could finish, Caleb sprang from his hiding spot. He tackled the man to the ground, knocking the repeater rifle from his hands. The sentry struggled, trying to shout, but Caleb silenced him with a swift stab to the throat. The man's eyes widened in shock, and he let out a choked gasp before going still.
Caleb crouched over the body, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He had taken out both sentries, but the noise of the struggle might have alerted the others. He listened carefully, his ears straining for any sign that the camp was waking up. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, he heard a rustling sound from the direction of the tent.
Caleb's heart sank. He had hoped to take out the sentries without waking the others, but it seemed his luck had run out. He quickly grabbed the second sentry's repeater rifle and slung it over his shoulder alongside the first one.
Then, he moved to a better position, using the rocks for cover as he prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
The rustling grew louder, and soon, one of the thieves emerged from the tent, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "What's all the noise out here?" the man grumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He stumbled toward the fire, clearly unaware of the danger.
Caleb took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He had two options, try to take out the man silently or risk a gunfight. He decided on the former, hoping to buy himself more time. He crept closer, his knife at the ready, but before he could strike, the man spotted Bill's body lying on the ground.
"What the hell?" the thief exclaimed, his voice rising in alarm. He reached for the revolver at his hip, but Caleb was faster. He lunged forward, driving his knife into the man's chest. The thief let out a strangled cry, but it was cut short as Caleb twisted the blade and pulled it free.
The commotion was enough to wake the rest of the camp. Caleb heard shouts from inside the tent, and he knew he was out of time. He dropped the knife and grabbed one of the repeater rifles, aiming it at the tent as the remaining thieves scrambled to their feet.
The leader, Harlan, was the first to emerge, his eyes blazing with fury as he spotted Caleb. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled, raising his revolver.
Caleb didn't answer. He fired a shot from the repeater rifle, hitting Harlan in the shoulder and sending him stumbling back into the tent.
The other two thieves burst out as well, their weapons drawn, but Caleb was already moving. He fired again, taking down one of the men with a well placed shot to the chest. The other thief ducked behind a boulder, returning fire with his revolver as Caleb dove for cover.
The night erupted into chaos as bullets ricocheted off the rocks. Caleb's heart pounded as he reloaded the repeater rifle, his hands trembling slightly but steady enough to get the job done.
He peeked out from behind his cover, spotting the last thief crouched behind a boulder a few yards away. The man was reloading his revolver, his movements frantic.
Caleb took a deep breath, steadying his aim. He fired a shot, hitting the thief in the leg and causing him to cry out in pain. The man dropped his revolver and clutched his wound, his face pale with fear.
Caleb emerged from his cover, his repeater rifle trained on the injured thief. "Don't move," he said, his voice firm despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
The man doesn't follow his order and tries to raise his right hand then holds the revolver, his eyes wide with terror. But he was too slow as Caleb already aimed the repeater at him, and shot him right in the head killing him instantly.
Harlan, meanwhile, was still alive but wounded due to Caleb's shot on his shoulder. He crawled out of the tent, clutching his shoulder and glaring at Caleb. "You're dead, you hear me?" he spat, his voice weak but filled with venom. "You think you can just waltz in here and—"
Caleb didn't let him finish. He approached Harlan shot, and hitting Harlan in the face with a well placed kick and silencing him for good. The camp fell silent once more, the only sound the crackling of the fire and the neighs of the thief's horses who were spooked by the gunshots.
Caleb lowered the repeater rifle, his hands trembling as the adrenaline began to fade. He had done it. He had taken down the entire group, including the mastermind behind the livestock thefts. But the victory felt hollow as he looked around at the bodies scattered across the camp.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. There was still work to be done. He needed to search the camp for any evidence that could tie Harlan to the thefts and recover the stolen livestock. And then, he would need to return to Valentine and report his success to Sheriff Malloy.
Caleb took a moment to steady himself after the adrenaline fueled confrontation. The camp was eerily quiet now, save for the crackling of the fire and the occasional whinny from the thieves' horses. He knew he couldn't afford to waste time as he have spend two days.
The sooner he tied up loose ends, the sooner he could return to Valentine and claim his reward. First, he approached Harlan, who was still unconscious from the kick to the face.
Caleb pulled out the rope he had purchased from Worth's General Store and began tying Harlan's hands and feet securely.
He made sure the knots were tight enough to hold but not so tight as to cut off circulation. Once Harlan was restrained, Caleb searched the camp for medical supplies.
He found some clean bandages and a bottle of whiskey, which he used to clean and dress Harlan's shoulder wound. It wasn't a perfect job, but it would keep the man alive long enough to face justice.
With Harlan taken care of, Caleb turned his attention to the rest of the camp. He began a thorough search, looking for anything that could tie Harlan to the livestock thefts or provide information about the stolen animals.
He started with the makeshift tent, rummaging through the thieves' belongings. Among the clutter, he found several items of interest:
- 5 Cattleman revolvers, which he set aside so later he could sell it.
- A double action revolver, clearly belonging to Harlan, given its ornate design and superior craftsmanship and he put it on his other holster in his belt.
- Several tonics, similar to the ones he had seen in the game, which he pocketed for future use.
- Canned goods and dried foods, which he added to his supplies.
- 80 rounds of regular repeater cartridges, a welcome addition to his ammunition stockpile.
- Several bottles of whiskey and beer, which he took so he could consume it or use it for other purposes.
- A map that showed the location of the stolen livestock, hidden in a nearby area.
The most significant find, however, was an iron lockbox tucked under Harlan's bedroll. Caleb tried to open it, but it was locked.
Using his knife, he pried it open, revealing a stack of paper bills and several pieces of paper. He counted the money first, 100 dollars in total, a substantial sum that would significantly boost his funds.
The papers turned out to be letters from Harlan's buyers, confirming that they had purchased stolen livestock. The letters were damning evidence, clearly linking Harlan to the thefts. Caleb carefully folded the letters and tucked them into his satchel, along with the money.
Next, Caleb turned his attention to the thieves' horses. The five Kentucky Saddlers were tied up in a small crevice near the camp, their ears twitching nervously as Caleb approached.
The horses were clearly agitated, likely from the gunfire and the unfamiliar scent of blood. Caleb moved slowly, speaking in a calm, soothing voice as he approached the nearest horse.
He reached out gently, letting the animal sniff his hand before patting its neck. The horse seemed to relax slightly, and Caleb repeated the process with the others.
As he worked, Caleb realized that transporting the horses and the stolen livestock back to Valentine would be a challenge. He couldn't herd 5 horses and a group of cattle and sheeps on his own, especially with Harlan in tow. He needed a plan.
First, he decided to locate the stolen livestock. Using the map he had found, Caleb made his way to a nearby clearing where the animals were being held. The cattle and sheep were penned in a makeshift fence, looking stressed but otherwise unharmed.
Caleb counted them quickly, there were 5 cattle and 15 sheep, a significant haul that would make the ranchers in Valentine very happy.
Returning to the camp, Caleb began to formulate a plan. He would need to bring Harlan and the evidence back to Valentine, but he also wanted to recover as much of the stolen livestock as possible. He decided to take Harlan and the horses with him first, then return with help to retrieve the animals.
Caleb tied Harlan to the back of one of the Kentucky Saddlers, ensuring the man was secure but not in danger of falling. He then mounted Morgan and led the other four horses behind him, using a length of rope to create a makeshift lead. The journey back to Valentine would be slow, but it was manageable.
As he rode, Caleb's mind wandered. He thought about the fight at the camp, the lives he had taken, and the blood on his hands. He felt a pang of guilt but pushed it aside.
This was the world he lived in now, and he had to adapt if he wanted to survive. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was changing, becoming harder and more ruthless. He vowed to keep himself in check, to not lose his humanity in the process.
The sun was high in the sky by the time Caleb reached Valentine. The townsfolk stared as he rode in, leading a string of horses with a bound and bloodied Harlan in tow. Caleb ignored the curious glances and made his way straight to the sheriff's office. Sheriff Malloy was standing outside, smoking a cigarette, and his eyes widened as he saw Caleb approaching.
"Well, I'll be damned," Malloy said, tossing his cigarette to the ground. "You actually did it. I thought I would never hear from you again young boy as two days have passed by."
Caleb dismounted and gestured to Harlan. "This is Harlan, the man behind the livestock thefts. I've got evidence linking him to the crimes, and I've located the stolen animals. They're still at the camp, but I'll need help to bring them back."
Malloy nodded, clearly impressed. "You've done good work, Caleb. Real good work. Let's get this scum locked up, and then we'll figure out how to retrieve those animals." With Harlan safely in a cell, Caleb handed over the letters and other evidences.
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Name:Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 6/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 6/10
- Charm: 4/10
- 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 0)
Money: 127 dollars and 75 cents