human
Mid summer in New Austin, everyone had two words to describe it, hot, and dangerous. You see, the local gangs around New Austin seem to become more erratic, more vicious in the hot months of mid summer. They tended to rob, murder and steal at a rate higher than any other time. For most people, it's a time to stay on your guard, to be wary and prepared for the worst. However, for Jayden Williams, full-time bounty hunter. It was the best time of the year, wanted posters hung on every street with rewards in the hundreds. It was a financial boon for 34 year old Jayden, and he was happy to partake in this vast opportunity for money.
Jayden had been a bounty hunter for many years. To him, it was the best job in the world. He could kill people, show the general populous he's more skilled and more dangerous than the bandits he put in jail. All the while he can sleep soundly at night knowing that he's doing a good deed, and helping the world be a better place. Not that he much cared for the romantic ideals of the sheriffs he hands the bounties over to. He mostly got into this for the money, and the fact that with his background and skills, he wouldn't be good at anything else.
Jayden sat at the edge of the bar in Armadillo, his deep hazel eyes staring at a bounty posting he recently took. It was the leader of a gang that has been particularly notorious. The Butcher gang, with it's leader, James Butcher. Quite an appropriate name for a man who makes a living killing people and terrorizing entire towns daily. Reward of 1,200 American dollars alive, with 900 dollars dead, as offered by the federal government themselves. That was the largest sum of money Jayden had ever seen for a bounty, the biggest gang leader he'd taken on prior was John Delrey, a man who got Jayden 340 dollars, and that was no easy feat. Now this... How terrible, how large must this man's following be to earn him such an impossibly high bounty? What crimes must he and his gang committed?
These thoughts however were superfluous to him now, he wanted that money, he wanted to retire on that money. Maybe get himself a piece of land out in the wilderness, settle down and put down his rifle. He let out a sigh and took a large swig from the whiskey bottle he'd been slowly drinking for a time now, helped steel his nerves. He knew he couldn't tackle that guy alone, he had to get some help, but from who? Who would be daft enough to attempt to take down the biggest gang in the west down?
Jayden finished off his bottle, letting out a sharp breath of air once it had gone down and he stood up. Donning his black felt cowboy hat. Jayden stood at six feet, four inches tall, he had medium long dark brown hair. He wore a long old duster coat that probably has seen more battles and gunfights than he ever has or will. Concealed inside it was a Schofield revolver sheathed comfortably within it's holster, his all-time favorite weapon. At his back was slung a Winchester Repeater, and at his left hip he had a sawed-off shotgun within a custom made holster.
Jayden left the bar, folding the poster and stashing it in the pocket on the inside of his duster. He mounted his horse, an American Standard-bred he acquired through a rancher that was going to put him down just because he had a pretty bad sprain. Jayden bought him from the rancher and mended the horse's leg. Ever since he has been a very trusted and intelligent steed. Jayden decided to go hunting for some food, he hadn't eaten all day which was quite a while considering the sun was slowly falling from the sky.
He spurred his mount into motion, urging him to go at a fast pace, he needed to finish hunting before the sun went down. He rode out into Cholla Springs, hoping to find a few deer.
However what he found was not what he expected. As he rode he could hear gunshots in the distance, his curiosity got the better of him and he rode in the direction of the shots fired, it couldn't be a hunter, there were too many shots, it sounded like a fight was going on. He stopped at the bottom of a hill and dismounted. Whatever was going on it was happening just over this ridge. He ascended the hill and laid down flat at the top.
He saw a shootout between a woman and six men, with four other men on the ground presumably dead. The men attacking the woman were obviously bandits. He drew his revolver and prepared to help the woman in distress, even though she seemed to be doing just fine from where he was sitting.
gpt
Cholla Springs, a beautiful piece of desert and a perfect spot to hide. There was the gorge near by that could be used to silently slip through someones sight if need be and then there was the hills near Hangman's peak that could be managed and used as a perfect snipering range. Ashley Hayes lay out in the open behind a rock, blood trickling down her right arm as she clenched her shoulder tightly. The hungarian half-breed she had been riding was not to far from her, shot dead from right underneath her. Her labored breathing caused her to choke on the air, her lungs begging to have it as she shook behind a large boulder.
"Come on out Ash. We just want to talk," a voice slurred as Ashley picked her head up to see if she could get a glimpse of who spoke. Although she already knew who the voice belonged to. Joseph Cross, a member of the gang she used to run with. Of course that was about a year or so ago, she couldn't remember. All she could remember was the memory of being betrayed by her right hand man, James Butcher. She growled at the thought of the man before she pulled out her Bolt-action Repeater. She held it close to her chest and took a deep breath. She picked herself up and leaned against the boulder, sticking her head out a little to captuer a glimps of Joseph.
"Thats bullshit Joe and you know it. I know James sent you out after me to finish the job that he couldn't. Now do yourself a favor and walk away Joseph. I don't want to have to kill you," she shouted from her position. She hoped he would do as she said and leave. She closed her emerald eyes before quickly standing to her feet. A few seconds, and she shot the nearest man she could see. The man fell to the floor with a hard thud and a short scream. She could feel a few of the bullets maiming her dark brown hair as it fluttered behind her.
"That was uncalled for Ash. You used to be one of us. You used to lead us, and now it's your time to follow our new leader," Joseph shouted, reloading the volcanic pistol he held in his hands. Ashley merely chuckled in response. She was the original leader of the Butcher gang, although when she ran it, it was called the Hues gang, out of respect of the former leader, Johnathan Hues. He was a good man that got caught and was hung.
"And now you have crossed me, shot me, and then left me to die. How would you react if yourloyalfollowers did that to you?" She put an emphasis on loyal. It was true. When James became her right hand man, he slowly started to change. Before it was just about the train robberies, bank heists, and the looting. Then it shifted to murder and raping innocent young girls, and Ashley wouldn't stand for that. And for that, James Butcher shot her, leaving her in Hangman's Peak to die. Fortunately for her, she didn't.
She panted heavily now as the sweat seemed more like rainfall to her eyes. The liquid that managed to squeeze it's way through her eyelids burned her eyes. She quickly wiped it away with the white shirt she was currently wearing and cursed to herself. She needed to end this quickly, and so far, there were no solutions. She reloaded her Repeater and took a blind shot over the boulder, managing to strike another person. Whether he was dead or not didn't matter to her so long as he was hit.
After a few minutes that seemed like hours, four men lay dead, and left six standing. Ashley was down to only two bullets. She grunted as more waves of bullets flew past her, taking chunks of the rock with it. She could hear some of the men starting to move closer, and she was going to take them with her. She stood to fire at the two men, and actually aiming for Joseph, hoping to take him with her.
human
Jayden listened as the woman and the man whom was obvious to be the leader of this posse. His eyebrow raised up at the mention of James, she couldn't mean James Butcher could she? He took a closer look at the posse she defended herself from, they did look like Butcher's men. He shuffled these thoughts away from his mind however, right now a woman was in danger and outnumbered.
He shuffled himself as far to the left on the hill as he could, hoping to take the gang members by surprise. He stood up and slid down the hill as discreetly as possible, with his Schofield revolver in hand he approached the men from behind, he hoped that the men in front of him were indeed part of Butcher's gang, perhaps he could beat some information out of him. First things first however, he had to take the leader of this posse alive.
He hunched down at the bottom of the hill and slowly moved forward. Unfortunately as one of the gang members turned to spit he spotted Jayden and he spun around to face him. Jayden lifted his revolver and stood up, with one well placed shot he struck the man just above his right eye. He fell to the ground, instantly dead.
The others took notice of their comrade's death and turned to face Jayden. "Shit!" He said before he opened fire on the next member in line, taking two shots, both hitting him in his chest, as he expended those two shots he pulled out his sawed off shotgun with his left and with one crack of thunder took out another man, using up both barrels in his haste. He bolted as fast as he could to the side, lucky enough to dodge a few shots made by the remaining three men. As he moved to the side he fired off the remaining contents of his pistol, hitting another gang member, one landed in his hip, another in his stomach, and the last caught him in the throat.
As the two remaining men turned to kill Jayden blood shot from two well-placed shots and they both fell to the ground. Jayden stopped moving, his heart racing as he looked over to the woman who's rifle barrel was smoking.
gpt
Ashley stood almost petrified and excited at the same time. She had stood quickly enough to spot another man coming down the hill behind Joseph and the other remaining men. She thought it was a hallucination brought on by exhaustion and blood loss from a new wound that hit her side. Fortunately it wouldn't be fatal or even close to it. She quickly pulled the trigger to her Repeater, catching her former brother-in-arms and Joseph by surprise. She managed a quick and painless kill towards Brian, someone of low rank in her previous leadership whom she thought of as a brother. He wasn't the brightest of the bunch, but he made good with his weapons. Joseph however wasn't so lucky.
"Damn it, I missed my mark," she slurred out as she felt her legs go from underneath her. Joseph lay crying on the floor and clenching his right shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound and seemed to partially paralyze him. She let out an almost psychotic laugh and found strength in her legs once again. She staggered towards Joseph, taking a slow step each time, before she stood next to the stranger that had appeared and helped her.
"Thank you mister. Joseph Cross, if he's got a bounty on his head, you can have him and deal with him. Just make sure he winds up dead one way or another," she addressed the stranger. She turned to glance at him, take in the kind of person he might be. He didn't seem much older than her, perhaps maybe two years older if not three. She was only twenty-nine and had never married nor been with a man. She stuck out her hand in a friendly gesture, hoping he would return it before she spoke.
"The name is Ashley. Ashley Hayes at your service. This here Joe, as you know, is part of Butcher's gang. Did he make you his right hand or his left hand huh Joe? " She spat at the man who lay whimpering on the floor. He just flicked her off, which was a bad move for him. With a quick flick of her wrist, she pulled a large thick bladed knife out and managed to slice the finger clean to the bone. Another blood curdling cry errupted from Joseph as he tried to stop the bleeding.
"Who might you be mister?" she finally asked, wiping the blood off of her knife on her khaki pants. She had never seen him before, or maybe she had never taken the time to actually look around at the towns she and her former gang raided back then. Even now though she still traveled the country. Which reminded her. She needs a new horse.
human
Jayden holstered both of his spent weapons and he wiped the sweat from his brow. That was a close one, if the girl hadn't been there he probably wouldn't be walking right now. He stepped up to the man whimpering from his wound. He stood over him and he did recognize him now. He'd seen his face in some wanted posters he was too busy to pick up, a price of 300 dollars alive, quite the prize for someone who was now crying over a survivable wound.
He looked over at the woman who had saved his life, or had he saved her? Whatever to call it he was glad she was a good shot. He tipped his hat to the ladt, putting on a crooked half-smile as he said in his low, slightly haggard voice "Your very welcome Miss..." He cocked an eyebrow as she cut off the man's finger, unnecessary to him, but not only did the man deserve that, it seemed like the two had plenty of history to justify it.
He looked down at the man, a slightly bigger smile on his face as he let out a long whistle. "Joeseph Cross huh?...five counts or robery, seven counts of assault, and over twenty counts of murder... Among countless other despicable acts on humanity... You've got quite the bounty on your head mister, let's say we go for a little ride." He chuckled a bit and pulled out a line of rope, as he approached the man he reached for his gun with his uninjured arm. Jayden stomped on his hand with his large boot, a small snap was heard and the man cried out in pain once more before he was forcibly hogtied.
Jayden stood up once his mark was all neatly wrapped up and he turned back to the woman speaking to him. "Pleasure to meet you Miss Hayes... Names Jayden Williams, I'm a bounty hunter..." He paused for a moment before asking. "I overheard you two talking... You used to be the leader of the Butcher gang?" He looked over the girl, she didn't have the look of a notorious murderer about her.
gpt
Ashley merely stood where she was and took a deep breath. It seemed breathing was becoming a bit of a problem. Maybe it was all the excitement or perhaps the adrenaline dying down in her. She watched the man hogtie Joseph and list off the charges he would be held accountable. She never knew the gang would go that far, but then again, James did have a rather absurd last name.
"Yep. I know I don't look like much now, but you should have seen me in my prime," she nearly boasted. Who would have known that she would be talking so formally with a bounty hunter no less. She straightened herself out and dusted off any remaining debris that stuck to her clothing before turning to Jayden. She raised an eyebrow at the man.
"I suppose you want a little more than just that," she stated before she sighed. "It wasn't always the Butcher gang. We were known as the Hues Gang. I am sure someone like yourself had heard of a gang robbing trains and cities and taking from the rich to sustain themselves," she began. It wasn't something she liked to do, talk about her past with unknown people. For all she knew she probably had a bounty as well. This man would probably take her in as well.
"James Butcher was my right hand man till the bastard shot me and left me to die. The gang had gotten out of control with him second in command. They began raping women and killing innocent people. Our gang had never been like that and so I tried 'reasoning' with James," she finished. Anger glowed in her eyes as she tightened her fist. She wanted nothing more than revenge on the man she once thought of as a brother.
"I'd give anything to kill that bastard," she stated, venom spewing from every word.
human
Jayden listened to the girl speak, he recognized the Hues gang. They were once one of the more wanted gangs out there, mostly because they were pretty anti-government and were a real thorn in the federal government's side as a lot of the trains they stole from were owned by the government. However they were told the Hues gang was taken out, another lie on the government's list of falsehoods.
Jayden could hardly believe that the leader of a formerly notorious gang was right in front of him, and as far as he knew no one would pay anything to have her. He mentally shrugged, settling with the 300 dollars the man at his feet promised him from the local sheriff. Then as she spoke her last sentence Jayden got an idea. It sounded like this girl knew a lot of the people in the Butcher gang, perhaps even some of the higher ranking people. She could really be a big help to him. A smirk danced on his lips as he thought of the poetry of the whole idea, a former gang leader taking revenge on her former gang.
He brought his hand to his mouth and he gave a two loud whistles of different tones, the tones he taught his horse meant for him to come. Sure enough his trusted horse galloped over the hill towards Jayden. As he did Jayden bent down and picked up the injured man at his feet and hefted him over to his horse, putting him over the horse's hind end and securing him there like a package that needed transport.
Once he was done he turned to Ashley and said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, taking a short puff before he removed it. "Well Miss Hayes... I myself have a little business with James butcher" He reached into his duster pocket and pulled out a piece of folded up paper with his bounty on it. "I'm hoping to retire on the money his murdering ass will get me... and I could certainly use the help." He took another long drag of his cigarette, careful not to blow it in her face.
gpt
Ashley raised an eyebrow at his offer. Sure, she would like nothing more than to take revenge on her former brothers-in-arms, but would that really be satisfying and fulfill the empty hole that dug deeper within her heart of hatred? She shifted her weight to one leg, allowing her free hand to rub her chin in thought. This could be a great gift in disguise. She would be getting help in return for her cooperation. She turned and smiled at Jayden.
"I accept your offer Mr. Williams. I shall help you take down my old gang. Resources tell me they have grown quite a bit, no doubt from empty promises on James' side," she mused out. The last newspaper stated that the gang was currently stationed near Fort Mercer. She had taken the time to scout the area before she was spotted. That's wear Joseph came in, chasing her down to finish her off. No doubt they would have moved by now. James was never one to stay in one spot for too long.
"I will do this on one condition. I get to kill him after you recieve compensation for taking him in "alive", and there will be no interference from anyone," she made an emphasis on his current status. She would allow Jayden to take James alive to the authorities, but she had her own plans for him. She smiled at the thought and turned to glance at Jayden. Her eyes danced with mischief as her mind wandered off into it's dark corner.
"I will meet up with you in Armadillo. I need a new steed," she stated, remembering her fallen Half-breed. She sighed and heaved her shoulders. That horse had been with her ever since Johnathan ran the gang. It was old and already knocking on deaths door, but she loved that horse. Perhaps she could capture a Kentucky Saddler in this area since they were known to be plentiful. With that in mind, she took off on foot towards a direction she hoped would lead her to a herd.
human
Jayden got a slight smile as she accepted his offer, glad he wouldn't bet tackling the biggest gang the west has seen in years alone. He knew it was a fools errand, his chances were virtually non-existent, but now, with another person backing him up, his chances have increased just enough. However he would need a lot more help if he ever dreamed of taking the Butcher gang out. He searched his memories, he knew of a few people who may be able to help. Those thoughts however were for a different time, right now, he needed to get Joesph Cross to the sheriff's before some of his buddies show up.
He finished off his cigarette as she took off in the opposite direction of where he was headed. He flicked it away and took a moment to re-load his revolver and shotgun, just in case. He mounted his steed and urged him onward at the fastest the black stallion could go.
He arrived in Armadillo not too long afterwards, he slowed down to a trot as he rode through the walls of houses and stores. The man slung across the horses hind end pulled stares from many passerby, people who either know who he is, or what he is. Jayden strode up to the sheriff's office, Marshal Leigh Johnson was taking a smoke out in front of the office at the time. He saw Jayden, and knowing him for other bounties he threw him a friendly greeting. "Jayden!... glad to see you again partner, looks like you caught yourself another one?" He said as he walked up to Jayden, flicking away his spent cigar.
Jayden dismounted and pulled the man off his horse and let him fall to the ground. "Yes sir... This ones quite a catch too" Jayden said as he pushed the man on his back with a foot to show his face to the Marshal. "Damn son, Joesph Cross huh?... Quite a catch indeed, Come on inside and we'll get you your money... Jonah! Eli! Show this murdering bastard to his cell please" the marshal said as he turned away from the tied up man and walked inside. Jayden followed him as the hillbilly Jonah, and his fellow deputy Eli came out to drag the man inside.
After Jayden got his money he headed to the bar to wait for his partner in bounty hunting to show.
gpt
Ashley lay crouched behind a thorn bush. Her instincts were right about the rumors of the herd being located just behind Cholla Springs, nearing Hangman's Peak. As she tried to single out a particular horse, the sound of slow-paced footsteps filled her ears. She turned to spot a man riding a Kentucky Saddler and behind him was non other than a Hungarian Half-breed. Her eyes sparkled with a thought, and she hurried to him.
"Mister, Mister please wait," she called out to him. It startled the man as he came to an abrupt stop and looked in all directions to find the source of the voice. Ashley caught up to him and smiled, hoping to fool the man into a false sense of security. "Please, how much for the horse. I'd be willing to pay anything for him," she pleaded falsely. The man rubbed the back of his neck, not really wanting to sell the newly caught horse. It would mean he would have to go back to Mexico and try breaking another one, or in his case, steal it.
"Give me $750 for it and you can have him," he spoke. That wasn't too bad. Normally the deed to a horse like that was around $1500 or so. Not really feeling like stealing the horse when she had the money on her, she paid the man, took the horses reigns, and climbed bare back on him. "Take care ma'am," the man tilted his hat and stirred his horse foreward. Ashley smiled, glad to have another half-breed in her ownership. Although she would have to buy a saddle for him now, she was happy to have another horse.
She guided the horse towards Armadillo, and in an hour or so, she made it to town. She glanced around the bustling little town, watching as people crossed the road and mingled with one another. She looked around for Jayden and had not spotted him yet until she saw the black horse hitched near the bar. She smiled and rode towards the little shack of a bar and walked inside. She spotted him near the bar and walked up, slipping into the chair next to him and folded her arms in front of her.
"So, what's the plan going to be like," she questioned as she ordered a glass of water, not really in the mood for something strong.
human
Jayden cast off about a dozen or so requests from the local whore in the bar of Armadillo. He was never in to that sort of thing, he believed that sex needed to have at least a little love to make it worthwhile. He sat at the bar just quietly drinking from a whiskey bottle, it was regular sort of ritual for him, after he had caught a bounty he would go right to the bar and drink, not until he was on the floor drunk. Just enough drunk to stave off the memories of his past he didn't want to be brought back up.
As Jayden drank slowly, waiting for the girl he'd met earlier to show, he began to wonder who in his list of old friends could he call upon? Jayden had a great many people he does buisness with. He couldn't really call them friends, for most of them are either people who owe him money, people that are alive because of Jayden, or people he used to know from a long time ago, too far back than he was drunk enough to think of.
He saw Ashley in the coner of his eye, slipping into a bar chair next to him. He pushed away his bottle, feeling if he drank any more he might start slurring his words a little.
He reached up and scratched his bearded chin as he went through a list of people's names and faces in his mind, a few stuck out. "Well... It won't do us any good to just run in there guns ablazing. From what I hear, James Butcher has done enough looting, robbing and killing to have amassed his own small army. Complete with gatling guns and cannons. It won't take a genius to know we would get killed before we even got to James." He paused for a moment to pull out a little notebook from his duster pocket, in in was all the names of people he knew and could be of use to him and all the places they normally are. "We need to take out as many of James' higher ranking men as we can if we ever want a chance at him, and I know some people who can help use out with that."
"I know of one guy, Leonard Laney, you might know him, he acts as sort of an information broker for James. This guy has a lot of friends in places all over, even some in the government. Laney informs Jason of all the high priced pockets, all the trains stuffed with money or government munitions... If we take this guy out first, James is gonna have a hard time getting any new hardware and cash to fuel his little army, making our job just a bit easier." He said while looking over at Ashley, a slight smirk on his face as was his trademark.
gpt
Ashley took a sip of the water that was guided to her by the bartender. She listened to Jayden's speech, chuckling when he mentioned James' small army. Truth be told, he did amass a small army and they all acted as personal body guards to James. She placed the bottle back down and turned to face Jayden. She stared at him a bit, studying his face to see if there was any thing that might give her a heads up of his true intentions. She didn't trust people so easily and she wasn't about to trust this bounty hunter, no matter if they were partners out for the same person.
"I suppose you are right about that. As for Leo, yeah I am familiar with that whore as well. He'd do anything to please James,anything. From what resources have told me, he is holed up in Benedict Point. There is a mine down there that he uses to transport some of the ammunition and weapons to wherever James is located," she briefly stated. She fiddled with the glass bottle and stared back at the cup. She searched her memory for anything that might be useful. Leonard was a weird, but very intelligent man. He could weasel his way out or in any situation, and that's why James had trusted him. Plus the man was obviously attached to James in one way or another.
"He's not the only one that's got resources in high places," she mused, taking a large gulp of the clear liquid before setting the glass down. "But first thing is first. Leonard Laney needs to be dealt with swiftly. If left alive, more than likely he'll inform Butcher of our plans and we'll be slaughtered before the calvery could arrive," she added on. She stood from her barstool and winked at Jayden. She stepped back and dusted off the torn and blood covered shirt she was still wearing.
"But first a gal's gotta freshen up. Covered in blood isn't exactly fashionable for one such as I. We will go meet one of yourfriendsand see if we can conjur up a plan that will not fail," she spoke clearly and in almost a demanding way. "I will meet you at by the sheriff's office in thirty minutes. I need to send out a message to anaccompliceof mine. He'll be able to tell me where Leonard is currently hiding. Sometimes he likes to visit the whores of Thieves Landing, even if he's a bit messed up in the head," she waved Jayden off as she left.
human
Jayden sighed as she spoke of Benedict point. He remembered the last time he went there. A different gang was holed up inside, he and two of his closest friends went to take down the Steven's gang. Little did they know that they had a generous storage of dynamite. Caused a lot of trouble for the three of them. Even caused Jim Harold, a man Jayden was thinking of contacting, to lose his right arm. His firing arm, he spends most of his time as a drunk in various parts of the world. A great bounty hunter turned worthless drunk at the throw of a stick.
Jayden's thoughts disappeared as she continued, and Jayden listened intently, if he was going to take down Benedict point he would need some new hardware, preferably something ranged. He stood up as he did and he put his hat back on which had been lying on the table next to his whiskey. He straightened it on his head and nodded at her. "Meet you there Miss Hayes" He said with a touch of formality, he had a bit of chivalrous personality when it came to women. However this girl seemed like she could cure him of that.
Jayden walked out of the bar and they parted ways. Jayden headed straight for the gun shop. He entered and was greeted by John the shopkeep, they both had a mutual friendship as John normally provided Jayden with plenty of ammo and was even the one who sold Jayden his Schofield. Jayden greeted him back and got right to buisness "I need something that can take a man down from over 100 meters, can you help me?" The man behind the counter bit his upper lips and held up a finger, disappearing into the back of his shop. He returned with a Rolling block rifle.
Jayden let out a low whistle, he expected a bolt action rifle or something used for hunting. This was a military grade sniper rifle. "Damn John... Whered you?... Never mind, how much do you want?" He knew better than to ask where John get his merchandise, he just knew it wasn't exactly legal however. John put on a smile and said "Give me 200 and it's yours" Jayden's jaw tightened at that price, he had 350 to his name at the moment, and he needed ammo. After a bit of consideration he shrugged and agreed to the price, also purchasing plenty of rifle ammo for Ashley's rifle as well as a few shells for his shotgun and a few boxes of Revolver ammo. He also gave his Winchester to John, not having room for it at the moment he told him to hold onto it for now, Jayden trusted him enough for that. He left satisfied, now only having 50 dollars however gave him a little remorse.
He headed for the sheriff's office to wait for his new partner to arrive to meet him. He also decided to check the bounty board, the price on Jame's head may have gone up since the one he'd gotten before was almost a year old. What he saw blew his mind, the price had jumped to 3,000 alive, 1,800 dead. He was a public enemy, the government were desperate to take this man down. Jayden had never grinned so much in his life as he took the postr and folded it away in his duster.
gpt
Ashley smiled as she passed on the message. It wasn't long before she found the tailor and found a new suit. It was a dark brown vest with a lighter shade of brown long sleeved shirt. A typical bounty hunter outfit. She laughed at the irony when she had purchased it. She had purchased a bandolier to hold more ammo and hung it over her shoulders. Her pants were now black jeans and they fit perfectly on her, giving her enough room to move and yet comfortable to wear. She pulled back her hair into a loose ponytail, allowing some of her hair to frame her face before placing the Bolt-Action Rifle in it's holster on her back.
She grabbed the Carbine Repeater and placed it in the holster that was attached to her horse. She stroked his fur and smiled. This had to be a blessing in disguise. Here she was with a bounty hunter hunting down her former gang. She chuckled at the thought before she walked into the gunsmith. She purchased more ammo, she didn't want to be caught without it again, and also some for Jayden. She knew he had a Winchester so she bought some ammo to keep him loaded. It wasn't like they were just killing two men. No, it was more like massacring an army. She hoised the Rolling block rifle to her other shoulder so that she had both rifles secured.
Besides, you can never have to much ammo, not in this country. After placing the ammo in the necessary compartments, she placed the spare ammo to the side in a pack that laid on her waist. She exited the building and called for her horse. She led him to the Sheriff's office and spotted Jayden standing near the building. She spotted him placing something in his duster coat and raised an eyebrow. She walked beside him and gave him a questioning look. She glanced around, perhaps he had met with someone while she was gone.
"What have you there Mr. Williams? A new bounty?" she questioned while folding her arms across her chest. "I don't know if we have the time for new ones Mr. Williams," she spoke as she turned around and mounted her horse. She reared it towards Benedict Point and smiled.
"Shall we go or is there anything else you need to get? My informant will send me details once we reach Mercer Station. He will be sending the information out that way. It's a bit of a ride, but it's real close to Benedict Point," she stated as she waited for Jayden. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad to befriend this bounty hunter. Even if he was a chilvarous man, it was refreshing having a companion who wouldn't try to kill her, or at least that's the impression she recieved as she had studied him.
human
Jayden looked up as he could hear Ashley's voice and he got a bit of a surprise when he saw her. She cleaned up well, very well. He never noticed her face before because of her hair in a mess and her cloths were splattered with blood. She was, actually rather beautiful, something he didn't expect to see after what he'd seen her do. A beautiful woman who knew how to kick some ass and wouldn't take any crap from anyone, Jayden cracked a light smile, he kind of liked the Idea.
He pulled his eyes away from her face as he knew if he did it any longer he would be staring. He stayed silent for her first question, deciding not to tell her of James' increase in bounty. He didn't know why, perhaps it came with this line of work, with the kill or be killed mentality in things, he's been screwed over by supposed partners before. Or perhaps he wanted the money to himself? Or perhaps he just didn't trust this girl enough yet, he would have to see which was the real answer, for now he stayed quiet.
Once his horse galloped up to him he mounted it and reared in the same direction she was facing her horse. He returned her smile and said "No ma'am, I have everything I need... Let's go catch us a weasel." He said with a little laugh before lightly kicking his horse into a slow gallop, urging her to come along.
Jayden began to think about the woman he was now traveling with, sure she was the former leader of a huge gang. The Butcher gang in fact. However Jayden heard stories about the Hues gang, it was supposedly a gang that didn't kill, never terrorized the public and would often even help the unfortunate. A lot of the Hues gang's members back then were strays, people with nowhere to go and nothing to their name. They weren't saint's by far, and they had no qualms about defending themselves. Jayden suddenly had a rise in respect for the woman riding beside her.
gpt
Ashley smiled towards Jayden before kicking her horse to match Jayden's American Standard-Bred. She lingered behind him, just a bit, and took notice to her surroundings. The sun was still high in the sky, and there was a gentle breeze. It was calming in a sense that frightened her for some reason. Whenever it was calm and gentle, there was usually a gang somewhere around to take that serenity away from you and throw you into a state of fear and anguish. She knew personally as she had done it many times before on would be government officials transporting large sums of cash to the bank in Blackwater.
"So, Jayden," she began before pausing. "If you don't mind me calling you that, what exactly made you decide to become a bounty hunter? I am pretty sure a young boy dreams of more exciting things than killing outlaws and making money off of them," she continued, picking up her pace so that she was an inch behind him and staring at the back of his head. She didn't decide to just become a criminal. Rather, she was born into it.
"My mother was a working woman who traveled with a gang. She had me during her times so I guess you can say I am the bastard daughter of an outlaw. Sounds exciting doesn't it. She died before I turned eight and I was taken in by Johnathan Hues. I grew up apart of his gang, and when he died, I inherited it. We weren't killers you know. We did what the government couldn't and provided for those who were in need," she spoke a little. In order to trust someone, you must first learn about them, right? And right now Ashley needed to know she could trust this man. If she couldn't, she would leave him the first chance she had and she didn't want to have to do that. This was her first real chance at something and she didn't want to waste it so hastily.
She kept her gaze fixated to her surroundings. Something seemed off to her and she liked to follow her gut instincts. "I think we should stop here for a few, and let the horses rest. We've been riding them pretty good," she spoke as she rubbed the thick neck of her stallion. Splotches of grey fused with the white fur of the horse signaled he was tiring and if he didn't rest soon, she would have worked him to death. They had closed in upon Repentance Rock and it had a wonderful view of the plains. It was perfect for her to scout and see if they were being followed. If anything, it was just her paranoia playing tricks on her. She seriously hoped she was just paranoid.
human
As Jayden rode with Ashley right on his tail his eyes scanned the horizon. Watching the slowly approaching outline of the desert and mountains ahead of him. His gaze however was interrupted by the girls question and he threw a glance at her through one eye before putting on a slight smile. He was silent for a long moment, he was both wondering whether he should actually tell her, and how to precisely phrase it.
He only decided to answer her once they had stopped and dismounted their horses, even then he held a long pause before he began. "I never really chose to be a bounty hunter... I guess, to put it simply, I've seen and done too many horrible things to deserve the simple life... I didn't pick this job, or the life I lead, but when all your good for is killing people and breaking things, you might as well make a profit on it." He put on a fake smile and looked over at Ashley.
He could see she wasn't satisfied with this half-baked answer but he had no intention of sharing his past with her. At least not yet "I may feel inclined to reveal more of my past later Miss Hayes... For now, it's hardly something I can even think about without a bottle of whiskey in my hand..."
Jayden reached into his duster and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a long drag and blowing out a cloud of smoke. A wave of calmness hit him afterwards. He could see the sun beginning to creep behind the horizon and the light began to fade. He began to also feel a slight amount of uneasiness, his eyes became more focused and he looked around a bit.
gpt
Ashley merely listened and understood and respected his wishes. She did not buy his smile however; if he trusted her enough, he would tell her in due time. She felt a little nervous now. Vultures circled high in the air, constantly flying close to the ground before shifting back up. They only did that when something was about to die and they could smell the death lingering in the air. She shifted her Carbine Repeater on her shoulder, glancing up at the large rock before her. She glanced back to Jayden, and then headed towards the boulder hill. When she reached the top, she kneeled down, pulled out her Rolling Block Rifle and peeked through the scope.
She didn't have a telescope like most of the rich folk, but she decided it was best to buy something else then a telescope when she already had a sniper rifle. It did not help that the sun was setting already, but luck seemed to be on her side as the silhouette of a full moon appeared in the sky. At least it would be brighter and she could cover more ground that way. Spotting nothing but an empty wasteland, she relaxed a bit and sat against the tree, closing her eyes for a few seconds before reopening them. Something stirred in the bushes, and as she aimed for it, a deer hopped out, strangled with the thorns of the brush.
"I think it would be a good time to rest. We can take shifts keeping a look out in this here parts. I don't like how calm it feels and the vultures circling us like that," Ashley concured while slipping down the hill. If her memory serves her well, James was the type to hunt at night when people were less guarded and tired from a hard days work. If they slept in shifts, they just might have a slim chance of making it to Benedict Point by tomorrow afternoon. Although her stomach demanded food, her mind was set on staying alive for the night. They could pick something up tomorrow at the station. She pulled off her weapons, keeping her Bolt-action rifle closer to her, and set them on the ground. Although she had three other weapons, the Bolt-Action was her favorite and she could use it more efficiently.
"I can take the first shift. You seem more exhausted then I do," she spoke as she dug through the bag that lay at the Hungarians side. After finding her ammo, she placed it on the bandolier, making sure she filled every hole with ammunition to be on the safe side. The episode at Cholla Springs was one she didn't want to have to do again. "And I'm more familiar with my gangs tactics," she added, trying to justify the reason why she should be the one to scout first. Even if he wanted to rest first, she didn't want to give him an open option and immediately began her journey back up the large rock. It was perfect for her to hide and yet open enough for her to keep watch without worrying about being surrounded or jumped from behind.
human
Jayden spotted the vultures at almost the same moment Ashley did and he felt the air stale with the nervousness and uneasiness they both felt. He knew vultures were never a good sign, they always signaled death wherever they flew but there were more than he was used to seeing.
Jayden took another drag off his cigarette as he watched Ashley climb the boulder hill. Once his cigarette was spent he flicked it away and decided to collect up some supplies for a small fire, it would be dangerous to spend the night without one warding off coyotes and mountain lions. He was lucky enough to run across a nice dried up dead tree, it had more than enough branches to supply him with a small fire for a majority of the night. He broke off a number of branches and brought them back to their horses.
He set up a small campfire, big enough to keep them from freezing and hopefully small enough to remain undetected. He pulled out some dried up grass and crushed them up to provide a better fire starter. He used up one of his matches to start up the grass and then began feeding the flame.
He wanted to protest, but she obviously wouldn't have it and before he could start up his chivalry he was shot down. He put on a slight smile at her insistence, it was rare to find a woman like her, strong and independent. He chuckled and simply said "Whatever you say Miss Hayes, just wake me when your ready to get some shut eye." He laid down on the cold ground after feeding the flame a good amount of wood to keep the flame going for an hour or so. He closed his eyes and slowly slipped into a light sleep.
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Ashley smiled when Jayden fell asleep, although the light breathing told her he wasn't completely asleep quite yet. She climbed the large rock and sat in the middle, pulling the Rifle closer to her body. She fixed it on her shoulder and peered through the scope, outlining and scanning the area. She wanted to know where every crack and hole was before she felt secured enough to let her guard down a small notch. The vultures seemed to die down with nightfall, scrambling around the floor and pecking at the dirt to find small traces of flesh or food.
It seemed like a few hours had passed by before she felt the urge to sleep. Before she could even register it, a sudden movement caught her eye. Without hesitation, she pulled her rifle to her shoulder and shot in the direction. A shrill scream and a thud signaled she had hit her mark. The scream didn't sound human and she quickly descended down the hill. She reached the location her bullet had flown and peered down at what she had shot. A frown marred her face as she kneeled down and picked up the creature by its hind legs.
"Stupid animals," she muttered to herself before tieing the rabbit by its hind legs and swinging it over her shoulders. "At least it'll provide some type of breakfast in the morning," she mused as she stalked towards Jayden's current location. She set the rabbit down close to the fire and grabbed her water cantine. She cleansed her hands of the blood before drying them off and walking towards Jayden's slumbering form. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gently shook him, trying not to startle him. If he was anything like her, he'd most likely either pull a knife out on her or a gun. At least that's what she used to do when she led the gang down the country and slept in barns and whore houses.
"Hey, it's your turn big guy," she spoke out lowly. Although she couldn't help to wonder if they should continue moving, or stay put. The gun shot could have easily given away their position, and she didn't want any trouble while she slept. She wasn't exactly a morning person, and she hated to be woken up when she was comfortably asleep. She sighed inwardly before pulling out a blanket from her bag that settled on her horses' hind quarters. She un-rolled it and laid it on the ground before pulling out another one. "Try not getting us killed either," she chuckled out in a whisper before settling into her bed.