Outlaw on the west (on pause)

A rocky journey

He looks at you sternly. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the fugitives themselves." His voice is cold and unwavering. You can tell he means business. You swallow hard, trying to remain calm.

"What do you want?" you ask, hoping to buy some time.
The bounty hunter grins wickedly. "Why, I think I'm here to collect a little bounty on your heads." He chuckles darkly. "Guess you guys pissed someone off."
Your heart sinks. This isn't good. You've managed to lose your pursuers before, but a bounty hunter is an entirely different beast. They're trained to track down their targets, no matter the cost. You glance at Billy, who looks equally as scared as you feel.

You grit your teeth and brace yourself for a fight. You're not going down without a fight. "We have no intention of going quietly," you say, reaching for your revolver.

"Is that a challenge, boys?" The bounty hunter says, his voice still cold. "Because I assure you, it's going to be a one-sided affair." With that, he leaps onto his horse, spurring it into action.
You and Billy exchange a look before following suit, your hearts pounding in your chests. You guide your horses to the side, trying to avoid another confrontation with the bounty hunter. As you ride, you can't help but wonder how many more obstacles are waiting for you on the road to Mexico.

You have to think fast. There's no way you can outrun a bounty hunter on foot, let alone on horseback. Your eyes scan the area, looking for any sign of help or escape. Then, it hits you. "Hold on," you say to the bounty hunter. "There must be some kind of mistake. We're not who you think we are."
The bounty hunter laughs. "Oh really? You're not the ones who robbed that bank in Texas? Or killed that sheriff in Oklahoma?"
You shake your head. "No, we didn't do any of that. We're just trying to make it across the border."
The bounty hunter considers your words for a moment, then shrugs. "Guess I'll just have to take your word for it."

Suddenly, the tension breaks as the bounty hunter seems to relent. You breathe a sigh of relief, realizing that you may have bought yourself some time. "Thank you," you say, not daring to hope that your luck has changed. "We appreciate your understanding."

The bounty hunter grins again, but this time it seems more like a smirk. "Oh, don't thank me yet. I'm just giving you a chance to explain yourselves. Who knows? Maybe you can convince me to let you go."

You glance at Billy, then back at the bounty hunter. You know you're in a precarious position, but you also know you can't give up without a fight. "We understand," you say, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. "We'll tell you anything you want to know."

The bounty hunter nods, seemingly satisfied with your response. He lowers his rifle slightly, his gaze boring into you. "Fair enough. Start talking."
You take a deep breath, hoping that your next words will be enough to persuade the bounty hunter to let you go.

The bounty hunter listens intently, his expression unreadable. As you finish your story, he nods thoughtfully, as if considering your words. "Interesting," he mutters under his breath. "But I've been known to make a mistake or two in my day. Why don't we see how good you are at telling the truth?" He pulls out a deck of cards from his pocket, flashing a mischievous grin. "I'm going to test you with a simple game of poker. If you can beat me, I'll let you go on your way. If not... well, let's just say you're night is not so lucky ."
The bounty hunter listens intently, his expression unreadable. As you finish your story, he nods thoughtfully, as if considering your words.

You stare at the bounty hunter in disbelief. A game of poker? You've never played before, but you're not about to admit it. You glance over at Billy, who returns your look with a reassuring nod. You've got each other's backs, and that's all that matters

You take a deep breath and smile at the bounty hunter. "Sounds like a fair deal," you say, trying to keep the nervousness out of your voice. "I'm sure we can handle a little game of poker."