The Peacemaker

Grave Encounters

Alone. That's all Liv felt these days. She had never been on her own before. After she had buried Wyatt, She had not known what to do with herself. She knew that she should feel something regarding his death. Liv was just numb inside. So much had happened to her in her life that Liv had just decided to shove all her feelings deep inside of her. If all that she could feel was pain, then she just would not feel anything at all.

Liv headed to Valentine. She needed a way to make money and had heard that the sheriff was looking for bounty hunters. She had never tried bounty hunting but it could not be much different than what she had done with her father's gang. Liv needed to be careful. There was a good chance that her own bounty had increased since she broke her father out of jail.  She walked into the sheriff's office unsure of whether or not she had just doomed herself. "I heard you are looking for bounty hunters," Liv stated.

The sheriff looked up at her. He narrowed his eyes and replied, "Young girls are not who I usually employ. However...," the sheriff pulled out a poster with Liv on it, "I think I can make an exception this time. You are very well know Miss..."

"Williams" Liv answered.

"Miss Williams I'll make a deal with you. You bring me bounties that I will take credit for. I get fame and you get money and safety from my deputies. Sound good?"

Liv scowled. This felt like a trap. "How do I know this isn't some sort of trap? That you won't just lock me away whenever you feel like it?"

"Fair enough questions, especially considering the life you have lived. Bounty hunting takes time and resources. I would much rather sit here in my office than be tracking down some low-life. You would be doing me a favor."

"I think we have an understanding then. Who would you like me to find first Sheriff?"

For the next six months, Live worked with the sheriff. The sheriff became well known for bringing in any target set before him. Liv however remained in the shadows. Of course rumors had formed about who the mysterious girl could be. Some said that she was the sheriff's lover, others thought that she was a runaway. The rumors amused Liv and she liked to stir them up.

After a long day, Liv headed to the saloon. She ordered a drink and sat at a table alone. Her work may have filled her time, but it had not filled the hole left in her heart. Today was her birthday. She was eighteen. Her father and Aunt Ellie had always made her birthday special. The whole gang would come together and sing songs by the campfire, tell stories, and laugh. Liv pushed the memories down. She was not going to let herself feel anything.

Liv looked around and was surprised to see three other people in the bar. It had to be close to midnight. The two girls and one guy were at the bar drinking together. Something about those girls seemed familiar to Liv but she could not figure it out. The girls seemed to be getting a little tipsy and one of them finally turned. Liv instantly knew exactly who she was. Dakota Morgan, the girl she had heard about when her father had been in Strawberry. That must mean the other girl was River Marston. These two had large bounties on their heads and had caused trouble for the law for years.

Liv watched as they drank. Dakota and River began laughing and joking with one another. The man with them remained serious though. "Do they want to get caught? To have given the law so much trouble they really don't seem to bright," Live thought. About this time Dakota left the group and headed outside. Liv knew that this was her best opportunity to try and grab Dakota. She might end up having to kill them but Liv did not care one bit. She paid for her drink and headed out after Dakota.

Liv snuck up behind Dakota and pulled her down a nearby alley. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now Dakota Morgan," Liv said as she held her gun to Dakota's chest.

Dakota smirked at the gun and looked back up at River and said, "You don't have the nerve."

Liv pulled back the hammer on her gun, locking and loading her revolver. "Try me," Liv replied coldly. Most of the bounties she went after started to crack at this point but Dakota still had a sly gleam in her eye.

"Shoot me then kid." About this time River ran up to where they were.

"Let Dakota go," River said. Without glancing at her Liv pulled out her other revolver and pointed it at River. River did the same. "I don't know who you are, but let her go."

Rivers arm began to shake as she aimed her gun at Liv. This might be easier than Liv had originally thought. "Looks like you're not someone I should be worried about," Live said with a chuckle. "Why does Dakota run with her? She looks like a rookie," She thought to herself.

"River, it's ok. Nothing is going to happen. I have this," Dakota says calmly, obviously trying to reassure her. Liv was growing impatient. Even dead these two would be worth quite a bit. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, the man who had been with them earlier came up behind her and hit her in the head with the butt of his gun. As Liv was losing conciousness, she could hear Dakota arguing with him. And then everything was black.