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Caleb was present, healthy, and more informed than ever. He looked at Dutch and the others and raised his hand slightly, signaling he had something to say. "What if," Caleb began slowly, meeting each of their eyes in turn, "we do take this offer... but not to parley. To kill Colm. End this for good."
The camp fell silent. Dutch's brows furrowed. Hosea's lips tightened. Arthur just blinked.
Caleb continued, stepping into the center of their loose circle. "Think about it. We know it's a trap. That gives us the upper hand. Let them think they're luring us in. We bring backup. We scout the terrain. We prepare an ambush of our own. We flip the script. Colm's not expecting that. He's expecting Dutch and maybe one or two others, riding in all noble and stupid. We show up in force, flank him, and kill him. With Colm gone, the O'Driscolls will fall into chaos."
Arthur frowned. "Still dangerous. We don't know what to expect."
Caleb nodded. "I understand. But think about it, we're already being hunted by Pinkertons. Cornwall has his own private army breathing down our necks. If Colm decides to join in hunting us down, we'll be fighting on three fronts. Why not eliminate one while we have the chance?"
That made Hosea pause. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You've got a point. I don't like it... but you've got a good point. With Colm out of the picture, his gang would tear itself apart without leadership and it will end our bloody feud for good."
Arthur still looked unsure but didn't object.
Dutch, meanwhile, was unreadable. He stared at Caleb, his face still, but his mind racing.
He hated it.
Hated how this boy, this Caleb, was getting all the attention. He'd already taken Mary-Beth. Dutch had seen the way she looked at him now, not at Dutch's golden words or charm.
And now Caleb was acting like a leader, giving grand ideas, rallying people to his own cause. People were listening. Hosea was agreeing. Even Arthur seemed willing to follow Caleb's logic.
Dutch kept his face neutral, but inside, resentment was brewing.
Still, he couldn't show it. Not now. Not yet.
Dutch finally spoke, slow and measured. "So you want to walk into Colm's trap... with a trap of our own."
Caleb nodded. "Exactly."
Dutch looked at Hosea. Hosea gave the faintest of shrugs. "It's worth considering Dutch."
Dutch's jaw tightened, but then he smiled. A smile practiced, smooth, the kind that had fooled thousands. "Well then... let's plan a parley."
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Dutch carefully.
Later that evening, a war council of sorts had formed near the campfire. Caleb, Arthur, Hosea, and Dutch sat on crates and logs, a crude map laid out on the table. Bill, Charles, and Sadie had joined in as backup suggestions were made.
"We position Charles here," Caleb pointed at a ridge overlooking the parley site. "Bill and Sadie, you flank the left. Arthur and I will be accompanying Dutch and Hosea. Dutch, you stay back with Hosea behind us while handling the 'talking with Colm. You're too important to risk."
Dutch almost objected, but the words caught in his throat when he saw everyone nodding. Charles folded his arms. "We need eyes on all sides. I'll take the rifle."
Sadie grinned. "Finally get to put a bullet in an O'Driscoll's head without havin' to argue about it."
Bill just nodded. "I'm in."
Arthur leaned over the map. "It's a good plan. Long as we're quiet and precise, we can take Colm out before he even knows what hit him."
Hosea looked at Dutch. "What do you think?"
Dutch's jaw was tight, but his voice remained smooth. "I think it's brilliant. Caleb's done good. Real good."
Caleb glanced at Dutch, sensing something... off. But he dismissed it. There were more important things to focus on.
They spent the next hour going over every contingency. Every path of retreat. Every blind spot. They didn't just plan a parley, they planned a decimation.
When they were done, everyone split up to get some rest. Tomorrow, they'd ride. Tomorrow, Colm O'Driscoll would fall.
As Caleb stood outside the campfire's light, he felt Mary-Beth approach.
"Heard about the plan," she said softly.
Caleb nodded. "Yeah. Big day tomorrow."
She touched his hand. "Be careful."
He turned to her, gently taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "Always."
She smiled, a bit sadly. "You say that like it means something."
He gave a soft chuckle. "It does. Because this time... I know how it ends. And I'm going to change it."
Mary-Beth didn't know what he meant, but she trusted him. So she nodded, leaned in, and kissed his cheek.
And Caleb, already resolved, looked out into the dark horizon where Colm O'Driscoll waited.
Tomorrow, the hunter becomes the hunted.
The next day, Caleb woke up early. The sun had barely crested over the horizon, casting a dim gold across the valley, but already those involved in today's parley turned ambush were stirring. Charles was up feeding his horse, Bill was sharpening his knife, and Sadie had that dangerous glint in her eye that only showed up when she expected violence.
Caleb moved with purpose, slinging his Lancaster Repeater over his shoulder and grabbing his Rolling Block Rifle. He spotted Charles and made his way over.
"Morning," Caleb said.
Charles turned, gave him a nod. "Morning. You ready for this?"
Caleb nodded. "Yeah. You?"
Charles gave a small shrug. "Far as we can be. You think it'll go the way we planned?"
Caleb paused a moment, thoughtful. "No plan survives contact with the enemy. But we've got the edge. We know it's a trap. That puts us ahead already. As long as we don't panic and adapt, we survive."
He held out his Rolling Block Rifle. "Here. I want you to take this. It's the one I got when you, Arthur, and I go saved Trelawny from those bounty hunters. It's a pretty good one if I say so, and it's got a damn fine scope. You'll make better use of it today than I would."
Charles blinked, then accepted the rifle. He inspected it carefully—barrel, stock, sight. "This is in excellent condition. Modified, too. You're lucky to have this. Better than the one I was going to use. Thanks."
Caleb patted him on the shoulder. "No problem. I want this to go right, and with you on that ridge, we'll have the upper hand. I'm gonna get some breakfast. Can't plan an ambush on an empty stomach."
Charles nodded as Caleb walked off toward Pearson's wagon.
To his surprise, the usual stew pot had been replaced. Pearson stood grinning, carving juicy venison steaks and flipping grilled fish on a wide cast iron pan.
Caleb raised a brow. "What's the occasion?"
Pearson chuckled. "Today's a celebration, my friend. Once Colm's outta the picture, we're done with this feud. So I figured I'd get a head start on the party."
"Well," Caleb said, grabbing a plate, "can't complain about that."
He took a thick steak and a filet of fish, eating quickly, not bothering to savor the food even though it was leagues better than Pearson's usual "world famous stew."
As he finished, Dutch's voice cut across the camp.
"Everyone involved in the parley, gather 'round!"
Caleb tossed his plate aside and joined the others. Dutch stood in front of his tent, arms wide, voice rising like a preacher at a revival.
"Today, we stand on the edge of something great. The end of an old chapter, the beginning of a new one. This... this, my friends... is the day we take back control. When I... I mean, we set ourselves free from the shadow of Colm O'Driscoll."
Caleb noticed the slip. Dutch caught it too, hastily correcting himself. But Caleb wasn't the only one who noticed. Hosea's mouth twitched slightly. Arthur narrowed his eyes.
Sadie leaned closer to Caleb, mouthing, When will this craziness end?
Dutch finished, raising his arms. "Let's ride!"
Everyone mounted up. Caleb rode beside Arthur, with Dutch, Hosea, Bill, Sadie, and Charles forming the rest of the party. They headed east across the Heartlands, the open plains quiet under a pale morning sky.
As they rode, Dutch began reiterating the plan, Caleb's plan, but spoke of it as if it had been his own grand design. He went over each position, each move, his voice grandiose.
Caleb let it slide. Dutch needed the ego boost. But Arthur and Hosea exchanged glances, not missing the way Dutch was co opting credit.
As they neared the designated area, an open stretch of plain north of Dewberry Creek, Charles slowed.
Caleb trotted up beside him. "Pick a good ridge. Stay hidden. If it feels wrong, take the shot."
Charles nodded. "Good luck."
He veered off, heading toward the nearby bluff with the Rolling Block Rifle slung over his back.
A mile further out, Bill and Sadie split off as well, veering left to flank the meeting point from the woods.
That left Dutch, Hosea, Arthur, and Caleb riding into the heart of the trap.
The parley site came into view, an open patch of earth surrounded by low shrubs, with tall grass swaying gently. It looked deceptively peaceful.
They dismounted.
Moments later, three riders approached from the north. One of them dismounted, the man in the center.
Colm O'Driscoll.
He sauntered forward, looking thinner and more weathered than Caleb remembered, but his smirk was the same. Colm then stood in place with his arms spread wide, his grin revealing yellowed teeth. Behind him, two of his men remained mounted, hands resting conspicuously near their holsters.
"Hello, Dutch," Colm called, his voice dripping with false warmth. "It's been a while."
Caleb and Arthur moved subtly in front of Dutch, forming a protective half-circle, but leaving space between them so Dutch could still speak.
"Hello, Colm," Dutch replied, matching Colm's tone. "Sure has."
The tension between them was sharp, cold, honed over years of blood and betrayal.
Colm's eyes flicked to Arthur, then to Caleb, lingering a moment too long. "New face?"
"Just passing through," Caleb said flatly.
Colm chuckled. "Ain't we all?" He turned back to Dutch. "So. Here we are. Two old dogs, finally talkin' peace."
Dutch's smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's the idea."
Caleb's fingers twitched near his revolver. He scanned the ridge lines, the scattered boulders, the tall grass, any sign of movement. Charles was out there somewhere, his borrowed Rolling Block ready. Bill and Sadie would be circling, cutting off escape routes.
Colm took a step closer. "You know, Dutch, I been thinkin'. All this blood between us... it's a damn shame."
Dutch nodded. "Couldn't agree more."
Colm's grin widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Heard you've been busy. Robbing trains. Burning bridges. Making some new friends down in the south."
Dutch's voice remained calm. "And you've been doing what, Colm? Hiding behind ambushes? Slaughtering from the shadows? You're running scared."
Colm let out a breathy laugh. "I ain't scared of you, Dutch. Never was. But I came here to end this. You kill me, my boys will hunt you forever. But maybe we talk. Come to terms."
Dutch was stalling, trying to drag out the exchange until the right moment.
Colm shifted, clearly growing suspicious.
"Well," he said, signaling his two men behind him, "maybe we don't need to talk so much. Maybe—"
CRACK!
A shot echoed across the plains. Charles had fired.
Colm's right hand man dropped like a stone.
Immediately, chaos erupted. Caleb yanked his pistol and fired into the other O'Driscoll, who hadn't even cleared his holster. Arthur turned and began firing as well toward Colm who manages to dodge. From the flanks, Sadie and Bill rushed out, guns blazing, cutting down two more ambushers before they could react.
...
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: 935 dollars and 48 cents
Inventory: 3,245 dollars, 7 gold nuggets, 5 gold bars, 4 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, a gold ring, two silver rings, four silver pocket watches, a gold buckle, and a gold pocket compass
Bank: -