RDR2: Taciturn

Chapter 5

We arrived in Rhodes shortly after, parking at the store.

"So, what's the plan?" Mrs Adler asked, drawing a gun, "I shoot the shopkeeper while-"

"No! Are you insane?" Arthur pushed the gun out of view, staring at her incredulously.

"What, I thought we was outlaws?" she asked.

"Outlaws, not idiots," Arthur sighed, giving me a look, "We rob fools that rob other people, these people, they're just trying to get by. You head in there and buy us some food to eat, no guns."

"You sure?" she asked.

"This time," Arthur said quietly, "I have a letter to post for Hosea, I'll meet you back here. I promise I'll get you a chance to prove yourself. Just not now."

I waited by the wagon as the store workers were filling it up. Sadie appeared with some new clothes that made her look less like a widow and more like an outlaw. I smiled at her as she came back, I myself was a firm believer in pants not skirts.

Arthur arrived back not long after, giving Sadie a quick glance.

"Why don't you drive?" he asked her, "Come on, lady!"

"I like Sadie," she glared at him, climbing up and grabbing the reigns. I settled on the edge of the wagon, careful not to squash the produce.

"I know," he grinned, "So, get everything?"

"I think so," she said.

"And some new clothes?" He asked.

"Don't start, I can wear what I damn well want," she said, her brow furrowed, but he just laughed.

"Hey there," a man started riding alongside us, I tensed up automatically, "What are you folks up to?"

"Just heading home," Arthur said, I was aware some more were surrounding the wagon.

"You're in Lemoyne Raider country. You need to pay a toll to pass through here," the man said and I glanced at Sadie.

"Keep it cool, Sadie," Arthur whispered before raising his voice, "No, I don't think so."

I put my hand to my revolver, a gift from Arthur after I had been accosted the first time. I was very glad of it at that moment.

"You don't think so? How about you pull over right now?" the man said angrily.

"Hey, how's about this?" Sadie yelled, drawing her pistol and shooting the man in the leg.

She spurred the horses on and I drew my revolver, picking the Raiders off as we fled. I almost flew off the back of the wagon at the sudden movement, gripping on for dear life with one hand and shooting desperately with the other, hitting a few of the men in the process.

"What the hell was that?" Arthur yelled.

"They was gonna rob us," she replied.

"A new pair of pants and you think you're Landon Rickets," he said as we rode on, faster than a wagon should go.

"I'm gonna run this son of a bitch over," she said, and I turned around to see a man stood in the middle of the road, guns raised.

She stopped the cart after and we took cover behind it, picking off Raiders who rode towards us.

"Well, you wanted to see some action!" Arthur yelled, "Now you got your wish!"

Eventually, the stragglers ran off and we got back on the cart.

"Nice shooting," Arthur said to me, holstering his weapons, "You too, Mrs Adler."

"Thanks, I'll drive us back," she said.