Unshaken

This is Armadillo, USA

Liam opened his eyes to see the sun starting to rise over the plains. He stood up and stretched, looking to see that everyone but Arthur and Sadie were still asleep. He walked to the fire and poured himself  a cup of coffee. Arthur walked up to him. "Finally here." He said. "Almost free." Liam agreed. They sipped their coffee for a moment until Liam spoke again. "Did you actually think we were gonna be able to do this?" He asked. "I wasn't sure. We seemed to have everything going against us but still made it somehow. Somehow." Arthur admitted. "So what's on the agenda today?" Liam asked. "I say we hit up the nearest town and see what the area's like first. Wanna see how folk are around here." Arthur said. Liam checked his map. "There's a place called Armadillo not far from here. Just down the ridge and into Cholla Springs." Liam explained.

"Alright, we let the others know what to do and we'll be off to town." Arthur said. Liam put on a black button down shirt and his brown leather chaps. "Let's take the wagon so we don't look suspicious. Come on, Sadie. We're heading to town." Arthur said as they climbed on the wagon. Liam climbed in the back while Arthur and Sadie climbed in the front. They set off around MacFarlane's Ranch.

"Should be just down this ridge here." Liam said as they rode down the sloped terrain. "What are we doing in this town?" Sadie asked. "Just having a look around. See if we can't find some land available in the papers or something too." Arthur said. "You ever been in New Austin?" Liam asked. "Once or twice. Really wild around here. Ain't been tamed. The last real outlaw country. Where the old ways still hold true." Arthur said. "Our kind of place." Sadie joked. "You got that right." Liam agreed.

They rode down the trail into Cholla Springs. Arthur stopped the wagon for a moment. "What're we doing?" Sadie asked. "Just taking it all in." Arthur said as he observed the morning sun glowing on the orange landscape filled with cacti and tumbleweeds. "Beautiful." Liam said. "Sure." Sadie agreed. Arthur clicked his tongue and set the wagon off again.

They could see buildings in the distance as they rode closer. They rode around the small row of buildings onto the main street. The town was bustling with workers and degenerates alike. Dust blew throughout the area. Arthur rode the wagon and parked it by the saloon. The three climbed off. "Anyone asks, we're a small family relocating from the east due to a loss of work in the coal mines. Nothing more than that." Arthur said. "Where you think we should go first?" Liam asked. "We split up and scope the place out, get a feel of the area. Sadie, you take the train station. Liam, you take the general store over there. I'll take the saloon." Arthur said as the three split up.

Liam walked into the general store and looked around for a moment. "Well, I see a new face has arrived in my here store." The man said. He wore glasses and gray streaked hair. "Yes. Just came into town. Looking to get some supplies." Liam said as he looked at the shelves. He grabbed some canned goods and walked up to the counter. "This all for ya?" He asked. "Can I also get some gun oil?" Liam asked. "It's right over there." The man pointed condescendingly. Liam looked down, held his tongue and went and grabbed it. He placed it on the counter. He paid for his products. The man looked at him again. "Herbert Moon. What's your name, son?" He asked. "Liam Callahan." Liam responded. "What brings you to Armadillo, Liam Callahan?" He asked. "Couldn't find any work out east, had to relocate." Liam responded. The man eyed his guns on his hips and hummed.

"Well, I'm sure you will find something around here. Especially with no Jews trying to rob you. I made sure they were never allowed here." The man said. Liam hummed and eyed him for a moment. "You know of any property for sale around here, Herbert Moon?" He asked. "Well, I know a place. Up on Hennigan's Stead. Would be for sale if those Bollard Twin Boys hadn't stolen it from an elderly couple a little whiles back up at Warthington Ranch." He said. "And who are these, uh, Bollard Twins?" Liam asked, leaning on the counter. "A nasty gang that roams these parts. Nothing you wanna get into. Stay away from that." He warned. "I'm sure." Liam agreed. He grabbed his goods and looked to the top shelf behind Herbert. There he saw a painted portrait of the Strange Man he'd encountered times before. His blood ran cold for a moment.

"Who's that?" Liam asked impatiently, observing the picture, taking a gulp. "I don't know. Just a portrait somebody gave me a once. I don't know, I always quite liked it. Why?" He asked Liam defensively. "No reason. Just, uh, seemed... familiar. Anyhow, I should be on my way." Liam said walking out. Something didn't seem right to Liam about that man. He walked back to the wagon and threw his sack in it, clearing his mind of the odd situation to get back to business. Sadie had walked out of the train station with a newspaper in hand and a smirk on her face. "What'd you find?" He asked. "Fancied up that post man to fill me in on some things. Apparently there's a nasty group of boys around these parts." She said. "Bollard Twins?" Liam asked. "Yep. Said they was around here." She said. "Find anything in them papers?" He asked. "Nothing but a plot of land over in Eastern Cholla Springs called Two Crows, that man didn't really sell me on the place though. Didn't seem like a good spot." She said. "Alright then, let's go find Arthur in there." Liam said as the two walked in.

A piano played loud while working girls danced around with drunks and people ate at the tables. "You see him anywhere?" Sadie asked. "No." Liam said, looking all around. "Wait, I think that's him." Sadie said looking upstairs to the second floor. They saw Arthur talking to a drunk man. The two made their way up the stairs to where Arthur was standing.

"Come on, let's take this outside." Arthur said leading the man out the saloon doors onto the balcony. Liam and Sadie followed. "So what were you telling me about again?" Arthur asked. The man chuckled drunkenly and leaned on the railing for support. "I- I'm telling you... that nasty group of boys got money up in... Pike's Basin." The man got out. "Bollard Twins, right?" Arthur asked. "Yeah, yes. Them." The man said. "Alright then, mister. Thanks." Arthur said walking down the steps of the balcony back to the ground as Liam and Sadie followed.

"Those boys sure got a grip on these parts." Sadie said. "Yep. Most of Cholla Springs are afraid of them. They're up on Hennigan's Stead from what I heard." Arthur said as they climbed on the wagon. He drove it south out of town. "Yeah, they're at a place called Warthington Ranch. Stole it from some elderly couple. Where we headed?" Liam asked. "A place called Fort Mercer I heard about down in Rio Bravo. Maybe we can set up camp there." Arthur said as they rode up the winding road into the desert country. They rode up on the building to see Mexican men guarding the front. "Hey! Idiotas, this land is not for you. This belongs to the Del Lobos, now get lost!" He yelled, pointing his rifle at them. Liam and Sadie's hands itched to grab their guns. "We mean no harm, amigo. Just passing through." Arthur said setting the wagon off again.

"We should've shot those bastards." Sadie griped. "Did you see the size of that thing? No telling how many men they got in there. Besides, we need to lie low and not make any noise. Can't be attracting Pinkertons again." Arthur said as they rode further into Rio Bravo. They rode past an oil company. "Place is called Plainview." Liam added as they rode east along the San Luis River.

They looked across the river, seeing a small wall surround a town. "What's over there?" Liam asked. "Mexico." Arthur said. Liam stared for a moment. "Just right over there, huh?" Liam asked. It was interesting to him to see another country so close. His whole life he'd rarely left the South. "Yep. Pretty neat." Arthur said as they rode the wagon again, turning it around. Liam wanted to cross the river and see what life was like over there, but didn't think Arthur would want him exploring a place he'd never been to. They rode swiftly past Fort Mercer and back into Cholla Springs. They rode back through Armadillo and up the ridge back to camp.

It wasn't far from the Lower Montana River and a waterfall so they had a good supply of water. They rode the path through some trees and found the camp bustling about. They brought the supplies to Pearson's wagon. "How'd you three get on?" John came up and asked them. "Just fine. Got some information from Armadillo. Apparently there's some good ranch land southeast of here that this gang's got ahold of." Arthur informed him. "Bollard Twins Gang. Don't know much about except folk around here are petrified of them." Sadie added. "We should scout that land out and see if we want it or not." Liam said. "We should. We'll ride by there later today." Arthur said. "Alright then." Liam said walking off to start chopping firewood.