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She gave him a soft, almost wistful smile. "I know you will. You always are. But… just don't stay gone too long, all right? And don't forget my burger and fries when you come back." Caleb felt something warm tug in his chest again, something fragile, something precious. "I won't," he said quietly. "I'll come back."
Mary-Beth lowered her gaze, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Good," she whispered. "Because it'd be awfully dull around here without you accompanying me."
Caleb chuckled. "Somehow I doubt that. There's still Karen, Tilly, and Molly to entertain you."
"No," she said, smiling again, eyes bright. "It would be."
They stood together for a moment, letting the quiet hum of the camp settle between them. Laughter drifted from Pearson's wagon. Kieran tripped over something and cursed under his breath. Javier plucked at his guitar again, trying to find a melody that didn't clash with Swanson's earlier singing.
It was peaceful.
It was safe.
For now.
Mary-Beth eventually pulled back, giving him one last look.
"I'll see you before you leave," she said before walking away toward the girls' tent.
Caleb watched her go, then turned back toward the fading light.
He needed to prepare.
Once darkness fully settled across camp, Caleb moved with purpose, quiet, efficient, and methodical.
He sharpened his knife. Checked the rounds in his revolvers. Packed his saddle bags and satchel with essentials, all that he put inside to keep up appearances for, as after all he have his system inventory to store his actual important stuffs. He kept everything light. Portable. Quick to grab at a moment's notice if needed to keep up appearances.
The others milled about, unaware of the deeper machinations in Caleb's mind.
He also had to investigate Saint Denis quietly, see how much the Pinkertons truly knew. He had to check on certain individuals who, in the game, were irrelevant background characters, but in this reality, they could be assets, threats, or wildcards.
One wrong move could doom the gang.
Caleb refused to let that happen.
Not this time.
Not with all the knowledge he carried.
And not with the bonds he had formed, the people who trusted him, cared about him, welcomed him.
He tied the satchel shut with a firm tug.
Just as he finished preparing, a shadow moved beside him.
Arthur.
"You headin' out soon?" Arthur asked quietly, hands resting on his belt, expression unreadable in the firelight.
"Right on dawn," Caleb answered.
Arthur nodded. "Then I reckon you'll want someone to see you off."
Caleb gave him a faint smile. "Wouldn't say no to that."
Arthur clapped his shoulder again. "You're makin' the right call, Caleb. I ain't entirely happy about it… but it's the right call."
"Thanks," Caleb said.
"Just remember…" Arthur said, lowering his voice. "Whatever Dutch says or does while you're gone, I'll keep an eye on him."
Caleb felt a swell of gratitude.
"I know you will."
Arthur gave one decisive nod, then walked off into the night, letting Caleb finish his preparations.
By the time the sky began turning pale blue, camp was mostly quiet. Only a few early risers stirred, Uncle snoring beneath a wagon, Charles tending a fire to warm breakfast, Pearson muttering as he reorganized a crate.
Caleb strapped his satchel across his shoulder and adjusted his weapons. His horse stood ready, already saddled, breath steaming in the cool morning air.
He turned—
And found Mary-Beth standing behind him, wrapped in her shawl, eyes soft and sleepy but determined.
"You didn't think I'd sleep through you leaving, did you?" she asked.
Caleb couldn't help smiling.
"No," he said softly. "I guess not."
She stepped closer, reaching out to adjust the strap of his satchel, fingers lingering longer than necessary.
"Come back safe," she whispered.
"I will," he promised again.
Mary-Beth hesitated, then rose on her toes and pressed a small, gentle kiss to his lips.
Caleb immediately reciprocate the kiss of course, turning the gentle kiss into a passionate one.
Both of their hearts kicked into overdrive.
After some time passed, Mary-Beth lowered herself slowly, cheeks flushed but eyes bright and certain.
"For luck," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
Caleb swallowed hard. "Thank you."
Hosea approached next, with his repeater in hand, his expression lined with worry but softened by trust.
"You come back to us, you hear?" Hosea said.
"I will," Caleb assured him.
Arthur joined them shortly after, offering a nod of quiet solidarity. John gave a lazy wave. Charles offered a small bow of his head.
It was more than Caleb expected.
Far more.
He mounted his horse, gripping the reins as the early morning breeze swept across the valley.
"See you soon," he said.
And with a light kick, he rode out from camp, disappearing into the forest as the sun crept over the horizon.
Caleb left camp with the early morning sun barely cresting over the tree line, the cool breath of morning rolling across his skin like a promise. The birds stirred awake overhead while the forest shook off the last whispers of night.
Behind him, the camp began to fade, first the silhouettes of the wagons, then the faint sound of Pearson grumbling at his crates, and finally even the memory warmth of Mary-Beth's lips. Only the path ahead remained.
As soon as he passed the last line of trees and the slow incline of the hillside leveled out, Caleb opened his map interface. His eyes scanned the luminescent routes, his finger tapping Valentine as his first destination. A small white marker blinked on the map. With a soft exhale, he closed the interface and nudged Morgan forward.
The road unfurled ahead of them like a well-worn ribbon.
He rode west first, following the gentle rising slope into the state of Ambarino. The air grew thinner and colder with every passing minute, but the chill felt refreshing compared to the humidity they had been enduring in Lemoyne. The road curved northward through rocky terrain before turning southwest again. Soon he reached the shimmering, crystalline surface of O'Creagh's Run.
The lake looked like a shard of blue glass dropped among steep cliffs and tall pines.
Caleb paused just long enough to appreciate the morning light dancing over its surface, almost surreal, almost peaceful, then continued on. At a three way intersection of packed dirt paths, he turned right, passing the Moonstone Pond on his left. Its calm waters reflected the sky like a perfect mirror.
He pushed forward, entering the dense, tall trees of Cumberland Forest. Sunlight trickled down in thin shafts between the branches overhead, flickering like lanterns. Birds darted between trunks. Squirrels chattered. A buck lifted its head from a patch of brush as Caleb rode past.
The main road curved north, and Caleb followed it before making a left turn that took him deeper westward. The forest grew thicker, more imposing, but the road, worn by wheels, hooves, and years, was familiar enough. He continued until the road naturally dipped southward, leading him toward the border.
Eventually, the trees thinned, and the land opened up in wide slopes and grassy patches.
He crossed into New Hanover.
From there, the crimson rooftops and simple structures of Valentine appeared in the distance. Smoke rose lazily from chimneys. Horses lined hitching posts. Wagons rattled by. Cowboys and ranch hands tended to chores. Life moved at its usual dusty, rugged pace.
As Caleb descended the last hill into town, he heard the familiar clamor, hammering from the smithy, shouting from across the street, a barking dog, the ring of metal on metal.
Passing the Sheriff's office first, he caught some of the deputies glancing up at him.
Then the Valentine townsfolk noticed him.
And the reaction was immediate.
They smiled, waved, and called his name.
"Caleb! Ain't seen ya in ages!"
"Where ya been, son? Thought you'd run off and forgotten us!"
"We heard you were out meetin' yer woman's folks, is that true?!"
One cowboy whistled sharply. "Bet they got him married off already!"
A few others laughed, nudging each other with teasing grins.
Caleb returned the greetings with a polite, warm smile, raising a hand. "Had some business outside. Visited my woman's family for a bit," he said easily.
That sent a wave of playful hoots from a group of ranch hands leaning against barrels.
"That right? Lucky bastard!"
"Bring her here sometime, let us see the lady again!"
He shook his head with an amused exhale, pressed Morgan onward, and soon reached the familiar sight of his pride and joy, his restaurant.
And to his surprise, the place was bustling.
The big structure with the serving window had a long line of customers. The sitting area beside it, wooden tables and benches he and Jasper had put together, was full of people enjoying burgers and fries. But the thing that caught Caleb's eye most?
Glasses.
People drinking cold water out of glass cups.
Caleb blinked.
What the hell…? When did Jasper manage to pull this off?
Morgan let out a small snort as Caleb swung off his back. He tied the reins to the hitching post outside the hotel, then made his way toward the restaurant.
Near the window, Mickey, the one armed war veteran, was handing out trays, while Jessie was sliding burgers and fires across the table with impressive speed.
The moment the two saw him, their eyes widened, surprise lighting up their faces.
"Caleb!" Mickey said with a broad grin. "Well damn, look who finally shows up!"
"Where ya been?" Jessie called, voice bright. "You had us thinkin' you'd gotten yerself eaten by a bear!"
Caleb laughed, raising a hand in greeting. "Good to see you both too. I had a long trip. Seems business has been good, though."
"Good?" Mickey chuckled. "Boy, it's been better than good."
Jessie nodded eagerly. "Cold water's the best idea we ever had!"
"Cold water?" Caleb repeated.
"Yeah!" Jessie said. "Jasper started sellin' it a week. back! Folks love it."
Caleb blinked again, glance shifting toward the tables, seeing the glasses more clearly now, condensation forming on the outside. Real cold water. That meant ice.
From the mountains.
Delivered.
And sold.
A grin crept across his face.
'Ice supply… then cold drinks… and if I play this right, I can introduce ice cream soon.'
He stepped past them and entered the employee-only door at the front.
The moment he pushed inside, he froze for half a second.
Two unfamiliar workers were inside.
A young woman carried a tray of plated burgers, pushing through the back door to the seating area. A man at the stove flipped patties with practiced precision before sliding finished ones onto a plate.
Jasper stood at the counter window, taking orders and payments, multitasking like he was born for it. His head snapped up when he noticed Caleb, eyes brightening instantly.
"Caleb!" Jasper exclaimed. "Finally! Haven't seen you in forever!"
"And it looks like you've been busy," Caleb replied, amused. "Very busy."
Jasper laughed, still ringing up a payment. "Hey, don't mind me workin' while talkin'. I'm used to it now!"
"I can see that."
Jasper wiped his hands after handing a customer their change and turned to Caleb. "We got overwhelmed with customers lately. So I hired two new people, Tommy and Nora. Tommy cooks, Nora serves. Simon and Troy help with morning prep and deliveries."
"That's… impressive."
Jasper beamed.
"And the cold water?" Caleb asked.
Jasper puffed up with pride. "I got people to haul ice down from the mountains. Costs a bit, but the profit we make more than makes up for it. Folks in Valentine've been near addicted to it."
Caleb let out a soft laugh of genuine admiration. "I leave for a bit and you innovate like this. I'm proud of you."
Jasper flushed. "Well, I learned from you, y'know. You're the one who taught me to keep improving."
The compliment warmed Caleb's chest more than he expected.
He stepped forward, clapping Jasper on the shoulder. "You did good. Real good."
Jasper grinned wide, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "And besides… with all this extra money, we can start thinkin' bigger."
Caleb's mind immediately ran ahead with possibilities. Ice cream. Lemonade. Cold brew tea. Soda prototypes. Canned drinks eventually. A small empire rooted right here in Valentine. But he pulled himself back to the moment. "Sit down with me later," Caleb said. "We'll talk about the new menu items and expansion."
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 7/10
- Luck: 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 4)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 4)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 3)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 4)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 3)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 3)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 2)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 3)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 4)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Trilingual Language Proficiency - G, I, & C (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 4)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
- Drugs Resistance (Lvl MAX)
Money: 3,655 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 104,669 dollars and 72 cents, 11 gold nuggets, 64 gold bars, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 Colm's Schofields, land deed (Parcel), 1 Mauser, 1 Semi Auto Pistol, 1 Lancaster Repeater, 1 Old Wood Jewelry Box, 1 F.F Mausoleum small brass key, & 1 Ruby
Bank: -