Unshaken

Fastest Boy in Town

Liam continued through Rhodes. He decided to pay the saloon a visit. He entered through the back. To his surprise, the place didn't seem busy. It was usually filled with drunkards from the night before. He walked to the bar. "What can I get you, sir?" The bartender asked. "Not much, just your assistance." Liam said looking up at the man. He and the bartender met eyes. The bartender's jaw dropped, not knowing what to say. "M...Mr. Parker." He said. "Mr. Peters." Liam replied with a smirk. Peters was a shorter man with broad shoulders and a stern frame. He wore a dark mustache and short black hair along with it. His olive skin had shown his Eastern European roots.

Peters quickly pulled Liam to the back of the saloon, hidden from other customers. "What the hell are you doing here?" Peters asked him. "This is where I'm gonna be for a while." Liam told him. "You know you're wanted for murder. Now, I know you had good reason, but you could be spotted! You know this town's full of gossip." He said harshly to Liam. "I ain't leaving, not right now. I need your help." Liam told him. "With what exactly?" Peters asked. "These rich assholes that come and patronize you, I want their money. I'll give you a cut." Liam proposed. The bartender pursed his lips. "You know I try to keep my work honest, I can't have you robbing my patrons. But, I know a few guys that I'd like to see lose some cash." Peters said. "Who?" Liam asked, interested.

"There's this group of stuck-up university boys that have been harassing this bar since not long after you left. They come every weekend from Saint Denis. You come in, challenge 'em to a bottle shooting contest. Winner pays a hefty amount of money. They'll be drunk, so of course they'll accept. I know how you are with a gun, so that won't be a problem. Though, of course, if you happen to miss, I'll make sure them bottles fall." Peters told him. "Okay, I'll come in later this week. I'll see you then." Liam said walking out. "Oh! And another thing. Don't come dressed so, well, 'outlawish'. You need to seem like you're some poor towns-boy who thinks he can shoot." Peters told him. "Of course." Liam said pushing the doors open and walking into Rhodes.

He whistled to Colter. The horse came running up like he always had. Liam climbed on and headed towards camp when some voices stopped him. "Hey, why don't you slow it down for a moment?" The man said, looking at his companion. "Who are you?" Liam asked. "Liam Parker. This you?" A man asked, holding up another bounty poster of him. Liam's heart dropped. "Yeah, you're the one. Sorry, but we gotta take you in. That price on your head is mighty fine for, uh, beginners like us." The other man said, smirking. They weren't much older than him. Liam held his breath and started to shake.

Liam immediately took off through the woods. "He's getting away!" One of the bounty hunters yelled. His heart raced as fast as he did through the woods. After riding, he realized he couldn't outrun them. He grabbed his newly equipped Volcanic Pistol and started shooting. "You ain't getting outta this! If you stop now, we won't kill ya, boy!" The bounty hunter demanded. Liam shot him in the shoulder causing him to fly off his horse.

This stalled the other man for a moment, but he kept pursuing. Liam whipped through the trees shooting at the man. The man shot back. Liam luckily wasn't struck. The bounty hunter threw a lasso and managed to get it around Liam's wrist that he was shooting with. He panicked, grabbing the gun and holstering it. The man tugged at the rope trying to pull him off. Liam then saw a big oak tree south of Braithwaite Manor, luckily not on the property. He rode with one hand, keeping his grip tight on Colter. He quickly rode around the tree confusing the bounty hunter. The man wouldn't let go. "I got you now, you little shit!" The hunter was now off of his horse near the tree trying to pull Liam off. He used the oak as a way to stop Liam, or so he thought. Liam rode quicker in a circle around the guy. This caused the rope to wrap around him, tying him to the tree. Liam quickly jumped off and tied the knot. "Think you're so clever, huh? Just you wait, I'll get your murdering ass." The bounty hunter scoffed. Liam laughed. "You ain't going nowhere any time soon, buddy."

As he said this, a bullet came flying at Liam from behind him. He quickly dove and took cover behind another tree when he realized that it was the other bounty hunter on foot. "No! No! No!" The man on foot yelled running up to his companion, nursing his bloody shoulder. He had accidentally shot his own partner in the chest. The bounty hunter looked up in despair, then back at Liam. "You! You killed him!" He yelled as bullets came flying from his gun. Liam ducked and when the time was right, he shot the man, hitting him in the stomach.

He sat with himself for a moment. He observed what had happened. The man was still tied to the tree with a hole in his chest. The other on the ground with one in his stomach and shoulder. "Let that be known to every bounty hunter in these parts." He said to himself as checked their pockets and climbed on his horse and rode back to camp. He wasn't happy that he killed the men, but knew he had to, to survive.

He arrived back to camp around three in the afternoon. He wasn't in a very good mood after the events that occurred. He walked behind Dutch's tent to give half of his cut from the gunsmith's store. Arthur saw him putting the cash into the box. "Way to take the initiative." Arthur said patting him on his shoulder. "Thanks." Liam said looking up to him with conflicting emotion in his eyes. "Everything alright?" Arthur said as they walked to the docks. "Well, I had a couple of bounty hunters chase me." He said.

"You... you weren't followed, were you?" Arthur asked, alarmed. "No, no. I... killed 'em." Liam said looking out into Flat Iron Lake. Arthur empathized with him, understanding his situation. "Well, you did right by defending yourself and not letting them get you hanged. You didn't do nothing wrong. Don't be so hard on yourself for things that you can't help." Arthur told him. "Yeah, I guess I just gotta watch out next time." Liam said. "Well, there ain't always 'watching out'. People'll come out of nowhere looking for you. You'll become more alert as you ride. Don't sweat it, kid." Arthur said handing him a journal. "What's this?" He asked. "A journal. Write what you're feeling in it. Write about your day. Whatever keeps you sane. Trust me, you'll need it being here." Arthur said with a small laugh. "Thanks. I'll be sure to write in it." Liam said as the two parted ways.

Liam saw Sadie sitting on a dead log on the bank of the river. He approached her. "Mrs. Adler?" He asked. She looked up in surprise. "Oh, hi, Liam." She said with a sad smile. He saw the pain in her face. Both of them knew vaguely about each other. Both got into the gang because of bad situations. "Mind if I sit?" He asked. "Of course not." She said, moving over making room on the log. "How've you been?" He asked. "Better, I guess." She said. "I hope so." He told her. "But nothing is worse than chopping vegetables with goddamn Pearson!" She exclaimed. He laughed. "I can't imagine." He said. He could tell she was ambitious. She wanted to go and do something. She wanted action. He could see it in her eyes. She was a good hunter, that he knew of. "It'll get easier. Maybe soon you won't be behind that wagon no more." He told her. "I sure hope so." She said.

He ate some stew and wrote in his new journal about his day, even drawing some memories he had from the day. He was happy to be working with Mr. Peters again, even if it wasn't honest. He then drifted off to sleep feeling as if he'd gotten his emotions off of his chest.