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She handed over a neat stack of bills, which Caleb received and then put inside his satchel. "Fair cut for today's fair and hard work," he said with a grin. Mary-Beth gave him a roll of her eyes, but the love in it still could be seen clearly.
Then Mary-Beth gave Sadie a sidelong glance. "You ever think about makin' this bounty thing a regular gig with Caleb, Sadie?"
Sadie hearing that was surprised and then shrugged. "He's got the skills. Good shot, smart, and sneaky. So if he wants to, I think we could make this a regular thing we do once in a while, the money's good too."
Caleb chuckled. "I like that, of course, if I have the time. Like you said Sadie, the money is good, and having someone as skilled as you talking those batsrad down? Why it's gonna be a pretty show."
"Well since you agree, I'm gonna look for some more bounty to hunt in the future," Sadie leaned forward, smirking. "That it's of course if it's okay with you Mary-Beth?"
Mary-Beth quietly reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Of course, as long as you two keep yourselves safe and sound."
Sadie grinned. "Thank you kindly, Miss Gaskill. Now let's shut up and drink."
The fire crackled between them, casting flickering shadows over their faces. For a while, they sat in comfortable silence and drank their beers, the only sounds the distant murmur of the camp and the occasional hoot of an owl.
Then Sadie stretched, groaning. "Alright, I'm turnin' in. You two… don't stay up too late and do something naught all right." Her grin was wicked as she stood, clapping Caleb on the shoulder before sauntering off.
Mary-Beth rolled her eyes but didn't rise to the bait. Instead, she finished smoothing the ointment over Caleb's cut and leaned back. "There. Good as new."
"Thank you," Caleb said, catching her hand before she could pull away. He laced their fingers together, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "For patching me up. And… for worrying."
Mary-Beth smiled, soft and genuine. "Someone's gotta worry about you and keep you in one piece."
He laughed, low and warm. "Guess I'm lucky it's you, then, Mary-Beth."
The firelight danced in her eyes as she leaned into him, just a little, and for the first time that night, Caleb let himself relax completely after a long day of work.
As they just sat in silence there, letting the peace of the night soak into their bones, Caleb suddenly patted his forehead with a muted groan. The movement surprised Mary-Beth, who tilted her head and looked at him with concern.
"What is it, Caleb?" she asked softly. "Is something wrong?"
Caleb blinked, then laughed lightly. "No, nothin' serious. I just forgot to tell Sadie something important. We should've agreed to pool the loot we took from the Lemoyne Raiders and split it between us. You know, keep things fair between the two of us."
Mary-Beth chuckled, easing back with a smile. "You don't need to worry about that. In the gang, anything you pick off the bodies or scavenge from a camp is usually yours to keep. That's your personal reward. The main bounty, or anything Dutch deems belongs to the gang, that's what gets shared around between us and then the gang stash."
Caleb raised his brows, pretending to be surprised. "Really now? I didn't know that."
She gave him a look, suspicious but amused. "You really didn't?"
He scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, maybe I had a guess, but hearing it from someone who actually knows the ropes makes me feel better about it."
Inwardly, of course, Caleb knew exactly how it worked. His Past Life Memory skill was as sharp as ever. He remembered looting countless bodies while playing Arthur in the game, always keeping the finds unless they were part of a mission.
But now that he was here, in this living, breathing world, he needed to confirm whether the same logic applied to it. Mary-Beth, as always, had helped him answer that lingering question.
He smiled warmly and gave her hand a squeeze. "Thanks, Mary-Beth. For real."
She smiled back, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Standing, Caleb stretched his back and glanced up at the moon. It had passed its peak in the sky, now slightly westward, past midnight. He looked down at Mary-Beth, who stood beside him now, her expression relaxed and content.
"You should head back to your bedroll and get some proper sleepMary-Beth," Caleb said gently. "You need your beauty rest, y'know. Wouldn't want you lookin' older than your age."
Mary-Beth's mouth dropped open in mock outrage. She lightly smacked him on the arm, eyes narrowing. "Well, that's rich coming from you Caleb! I stay up late to sit with you, patch you up, keep you company, and this is the thanks I get?"
Caleb laughed, raising both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry! Just teasin'. Honest."
She pouted, turning her head to the side dramatically, though the smile pulling at the corner of her lips betrayed her amusement. Caleb looked at her and felt something stir within him, an impulse he could no longer push down from within his heart.
Slowly, his expression softened, and he stepped closer to her. Mary-Beth noticed the shift in his demeanor, and when she turned to look at him, her cheeks turned a bright, rosy red. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and both hands reflexively came up to press over it, as though she could still the storm inside.
Her feet were rooted in place. She couldn't move even if she tried, which she already did. Her eyes widened slightly, but then slowly fluttered shut as Caleb leaned in, the firelight dancing across his face.
Only the quiet crackle of the campfire, the chirp of crickets, and the croak of frogs filled the air around the two of them.
Then, finally, their lips met.
It wasn't wild, nor hurried, it was a simple, loving kiss. No tongue, no deep hunger. Just a moment of gentle connection shared beneath the moonlight, a first kiss that spoke volumes more than words ever could.
When Caleb slowly pulled away, he saw her face had become entirely flushed. Her eyes were still closed, and he let out a low, warm chuckle that seemed to echo with something deeper.
Mary-Beth opened her eyes at the sound, seeing the fire of desire smoldering in his gaze. Embarrassed but delighted, she looked down shyly.
Caleb gently brushed a hand over the top of her head. "Go get some rest, Mary-Beth. Goodnight."
She stammered a soft, "Goodnight," before turning and dashing off, her skirts trailing behind her. Caleb watched her go, a gentle smile etched across his face.
He turned and made his way back to his tent, nestled between Arthur's and Dutch's. Ducking inside, he unbuckled his gunbelt and sat down to remove his boots, still smiling to himself as he lay down onto his bedroll.
Sleep came easily that night for Caleb, but not for Mary-Beth.
The next morning, Caleb was stirred from his dreams by the familiar voice of Arthur Morgan.
"Rise and shine, princess."
Caleb cracked one eye open to see Arthur peering into his tent with an amused smirk.
He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and chuckling. "What's the occasion, Morgan? Wakin' a man up this early better mean somethin'."
Arthur tilted his head, already dressed for travel. "Dutch wants us to check in on Trelawny. Man's gone quiet. He's got a little caravan near Rhodes, but we haven't heard a peep from him. You in?"
Caleb blinked when he heard that name. Josiah Trelawny. That meant this is...
Magicians for Sport.
His thoughts raced. He'd assumed this mission had already passed. After all, they were well into the Rhodes chapter, with the gang embedded with the Grays and hounding the Braithwaites. But maybe, just maybe, the timeline here was unfolding differently.
Still rubbing the sleep from his face, he smiled. "Lookin' for Mr. Trelawny, huh? Count me in. Just give me a minute to get my boots on. Just wait by the horses, I'll be quick."
Arthur nodded and backed away from the tent. Caleb quickly dressed and stepped outside, the morning light spilling across the clearing. The camp was beginning to stir, Pearson was already working at the stew pot, and a few members were stretching or heading toward the wagons.
And by the hitching post, Arthur and Charles stood ready, their horses stamping impatiently.
"Took you long enough," Arthur said as Caleb approached.
"Had to look pretty for you," Caleb retorted, swinging onto Morgan's back. The stallion snorted, as if amused by the banter.
"Morning Charles," he turned to greet Charles. "Ready to track down a magician?"
Charles gave a small nod. "I don't like it. Trelawny's got a lot of mouths to talk to and ears to hear with. Him going quiet could mean trouble."
Arthur mounted his horse. "Then let's go find out."
The three men rode out of camp together, hooves crunching through the dirt as they headed toward Rhodes. Caleb kept pace easily, his mind was torn in half, with the first one on the road and on the implications of what was to come.
The second one is that his mind wandered back to the previous night, Mary-Beth's shy smile, the way her lips had trembled slightly against his. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus.
He remembered that this mission involved knowing Trelawny was abducted, tracking them down until they met two men with his walking stick, learning about Trelawny's whereabouts, and ultimately rescuing him from captivity. But how it would play out in this version of the world remained to be seen.
They rode through rolling hills and thick woods. Birds took flight as they passed, and a pair of deer darted through the underbrush.
"So," Caleb said after a while, "Trelawny's been quiet. Any idea where he's holed up, Arthur?"
Arthur scowled. "He said he was staying with a caravan near Rhodes, the last time I alongside Dutch and Hosea heard from him. The man's slippery bastard, but he ain't stupid. If he's gone quiet, somethin's wrong."
Charles nodded. "Could be the Grays. Or the Braithwaites. Or anything really. Trelawney himself is a walking reason to cause trouble for himself."
Caleb's grip tightened on the reins. "Let's hope it's just Trelawny bein' Trelawny."
Arthur and Charles grunted in agreement, after all, if it was Trelawny being Trelawny, then things would be much simpler to handle.
As they approached the location of Trelawny's caravan which was a cluster of abandoned small house, and Trelawmy's small abandoned house, near the building of the Fencer, and all three men slowed. The house was there, with a campfire in front of it but no one was around. Something was clearly off.
Arthur and Charles dismounted first, drawing their weapons. Caleb followed suit.
They approached the wagon slowly, weapons raised. Arthur reached the front door and found it already open, the inside was empty with no one around and the stuff was messy.
"Looks like he left in a hurry," Caleb muttered.
"Or someone made him leave," Charles replied grimly.
They searched the nearby area. Signs of a struggle. Dropped items. A trail. Which Caleb knew would lead them to the two men.
Arthur gestured forward. "Let's follow it." The hunt for Trelawny had officially begun. As the three tracked the trail following it through, Caleb knew they had to stay alert because while everything was familiar but the timeline was messed up and very different compared to the one he played in the game.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 3)
- Rifle (Lvl 2)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 3)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 2)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv 2)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
Money: 912 dollars and 35 cents
Inventory: 3,245 dollars, 7 gold nuggets, 5 gold bars, 4 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bag of jewelry, a gold ring, two silver pocket watch, a gold buckle, and a gold pocket compass
Bank: -