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Caleb then lead them to take a seat at the rest area of the employees where Caleb waves to Jessie who passed by for a coffee, and before Arthur could protest, Jessie put down two cups of coffee before them. Arthur stared. "I was jokin' about the free stuffs."
Caleb smiled. "Perks of ownership."
Before Arthur could respond, Jessie come back from the kitchen bringing two plates of burgers and two bowls of fries, the original variant.
Smelling the smell of the food, Arthur immediately took his first bite of the burger, his eyes widened as he can't stop to take another bite. "Damn. This is good. Really good Caleb."
Caleb leaned back when he heard that, satisfied with Arthur's reaction as he takes a piece of fries. "It's good to hear that, enjoy it slowly Arthur, there's more to try."
Arthur nodded, already half lost to the food in front of him.
He took another bite of the burger, slower this time, like he was trying to commit the taste to memory. Juice dripped down his fingers, the bread soft but sturdy, the meat perfectly seasoned. He chewed, swallowed, then reached for the fries.
The moment he bit into one, a low, involuntary groan escaped him.
"Oh hell," Arthur muttered, leaning back slightly in his chair. "This… this is dangerous."
Caleb raised an eyebrow, amused. "Dangerous?"
Arthur grabbed another fry, then another. "Yeah. Truly dangerous. This—" he gestured vaguely at the plate, "—this is the best damn food I ever eaten. This thing called burger, fries, all of it. You done ruined me."
Caleb laughed quietly, picking up a fry himself. "That good?"
Arthur nodded solemnly. "I ain't jokin'. My taste buds are done for. Completely destroyed. Ain't no way I'm enjoyin' Pearson's cookin' the same way after this."
Caleb laughed softly, picking up another fry. "Now hold on. I won't let you slander Pearson like that."
Arthur scoffed. "You serious?"
"I am," Caleb replied easily. "Man's workin' with scraps, half rotten vegetables, questionable meat, and whatever spices he can scrounge up in his supplies. And somehow he still makes somethin' edible. That takes talent."
Arthur snorted. "That takes luck."
Caleb shook his head. "Nah. You ever notice how his stew tastes different dependin' on what mood he's in? Or how he stretches rations without makin' folks sick? Pearson ain't refined, but he knows how to cook under pressure. Especially now, when we're far from any town or proper market."
Arthur snorted. "You shouldn't encourage him like that. That man couldn't tell the difference between a good stew and a bad stew if you hit him over the head with the pot."
"He means well," Caleb replied mildly.
Arthur hearing that nodded his head, chewing thoughtfully.
"…Still tastes like regret," he said finally.
Caleb laughed again, leaning back in his chair. "Fair enough."
They shared a laugh, the sound blending naturally into the low hum of the restaurant. They then continued eating, the noise of the restaurant operation rolling around them, plates clinking, sizzling sound if meats, loud voices from the outside overlapping in easy conversation.
Arthur glanced around between bites, taking it all in. The place was clean, organized, alive. Workers moved with purpose, not panic. Customers looked relaxed, satisfied.
This wasn't just a business.
It was a place.
It struck Arthur suddenly, how natural Caleb looked here. Not on edge. Not scanning for threats. Just… present. Grounded. As if this place was an extension of him.
And after that, as Arthur finished off his burger and reached for another handful of fries, he saw a young man approached them in the resting area. He was lean, sharp eyed, with sleeves rolled up and an air of quiet competence. The window counter behind him was empty for the moment, the rush clearly past.
"Boss," this young man was of course Jasper, who said this words to Caleb with a respectful nod. "Orders are all out. Kitchen's steady."
Caleb smiled. "Good timing."
He turned slightly toward Arthur. "Arthur, this is Jasper. He's my right hand man here."
Arthur looked up, immediately alert but not hostile.
Caleb continued, ""He handles most of the day to day here. Handles supplies, staff schedules, finances when I'm not around. Most folks don't even know I'm the owner. So if I'm gone, this place still runs smooth because of him."
Jasper gave a small, polite smile. "Nice to meet you, sir."
Arthur glanced between them, then back to Caleb. "That so?"
Caleb nodded. "Had to keep a low profile after… certain complications."
Arthur immediately understood.
Cornwall.
His expression tightened for just a fraction of a second. "Yeah. I remember that."
How could he not?
Valentine, chaos, and gunfire barely avoided. Cornwall arriving with hired guns and mercenaries, ready to burn the town to the ground if it meant dragging Dutch Van der Linde out by the collar. And in the middle of all that, Caleb.
The man who'd created just enough distraction, just enough acting, to let Arthur, Dutch, John, and Strauss slip away unnoticed.
Arthur pushed his chair back and stood, extending a hand to Jasper. "The names Tacitus Kilgore."
Jasper took it firmly, surprised but pleased. "Happy to meet you, Mr. Kilgore."
Caleb added smoothly, "Tacitus here's an associate of mine. Potential investor, you could say. Might be responsible for our first branch in the near future. Strawberry, maybe. Or Rhodes."
Arthur nearly choked on a fry, but recovered quickly.
"Well," Arthur said evenly, "can't say I expected to hear that, but I'm impressed with what you've built here."
Jasper's eyes lit up. "Really? That means a lot. My boss Mr. Thorne doesn't exaggerate when he talks about expansion. He thinks big."
Arthur chuckled. "That, I'm startin' to realize."
He studied Jasper more closely now, curiosity plain on his face. "I gotta say… trustin' someone this young with finances, supplies, the whole operation, that's rare. Business world ain't exactly forgiving."
Jasper glanced at Caleb.
Then he said, quietly but firmly, "I'd never betray him."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Jasper continued, voice steady. "Caleb saved me. From somethin' worse than death, I reckon. Without him, I wouldn't be standin' here. Might've been tortured for the rest of my life."
Arthur slowly turned his head toward Caleb.
Caleb met his gaze and nodded once.
Arthur exhaled softly. "Then yeah," he said. "That kind of favor… it don't get repaid easy."
Jasper smiled faintly, grateful.
Caleb cleared his throat lightly. "Alright. Let's not drag the mood into the mud."
He gestured at the empty bowls and plates. "It's hot out. How 'bout somethin' refreshin'?"
Jasper's expression shifted immediately, recognition. "Ah."
He straightened. "Wait right here."
Arthur watched him head toward the back, curiosity plain on his face. "Refreshin' how?"
Caleb smiled, relaxed. "You'll see."
Arthur crossed his arms, skeptical. "If this is some fancy town nonsense—"
Before he could finish, Jasper returned, carefully carrying three bowls.
Ice cream.
Real ice cream. Pale, creamy, already beginning to soften at the edges.
Arthur stared.
"…You're kiddin' me."
Caleb took his bowl calmly. "Nope."
Arthur slowly reached for his, as if it might vanish if he moved too fast. He dipped the spoon in, took a cautious bite—
—and froze.
His eyes widened. His jaw slackened.
"…Oh hell."
Caleb chuckled. "Hooked already?"
Arthur took another bite. Then another. Faster now.
"This ain't fair," Arthur muttered. "This ain't even legal."
Jasper laughed softly. "Glad you like it."
Arthur leaned back in his chair, spoon still in hand. "You ain't just ruined my taste buds. You ruined my expectations of life."
Caleb smiled, enjoying the moment.
After they finished, Arthur wiped his mouth and looked at Caleb seriously. "You know… I understand why you didn't tell us before, if Dutch knew about this place—"
"Yes I could see that you understand," Caleb said quietly. "I'm happy to hear that."
Arthur nodded. "Smart."
They sat in companionable silence for a moment, the noise of the restaurant swelling again as new customers filtered in.
Eventually, Caleb stood. "C'mon. I'll show you the rest."
They toured the restaurant, the kitchen, storage, and back rooms. Arthur asked questions, genuine ones. Supply routes. Profit margins. Staff wages. Caleb answered without hesitation.
Outside, they sat briefly in the shaded seating area, watching Valentine pass by.
Arthur leaned back, thoughtful. "You really think this could work. A life outside all this."
Caleb looked out at the town. "I don't think, Arthur. I know. I wouldn't have told Hosea if I didn't."
Arthur studied him for a long moment.
"…Maybe," he said quietly, "we ain't just survivin' anymore. I hope to hell this works."
Caleb smiled.
Later, they secured a room at the hotel for Arthur. The day wore on peacefully, too peacefully, almost.
That night, as Arthur lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, the smell of burgers and ice cream still lingering in his memory, one thought kept circling his mind.
"Maybe there's more than just runnin' left in this world."
And for the first time in years, that thought didn't scare him.
Morning came to Valentine quietly.
Not with gunfire, not with shouting, but with the slow creak of wagons, the clop of hooves on packed dirt, and the distant toll of the church bell marking the hour. Sunlight spilled through the hotel lobby windows in pale gold sheets, dust motes drifting lazily in the air.
Arthur was already there when Caleb came downstairs.
He leaned against one of the wooden posts near the lobby entrance, hat low over his eyes, coffee cup in hand. He looked rested, more rested than he had in a long while. The bed, the food, the absence of immediate danger had done him a rare kindness.
Caleb stepped into view, coat settled neatly on his shoulders, expression calm and focused.
Arthur looked up and smirked.
"Mornin', Mr. Restaurant Mogul."
Caleb snorted. "Don't start."
"Sleep alright?" Arthur asked.
Caleb nodded. "Better than I have in a while."
Arthur snorted. "Figures. Damn bed was too soft. Kept feelin' like I was sinkin' into it."
Caleb smiled faintly. "You'll get used to it."
Arthur pushed off the post. "Let's get movin'. Sun's already up. You ready?"
"Been ready since dawn."
They didn't linger. After a brief exchange with the clerk and a nod to a couple of townsfolk who recognized Caleb immediately, they stepped outside, mounted their horses, and rode out at an easy pace.
This wasn't a scouting run like the old days, fast, tense, always expecting trouble. This was deliberate. Thoughtful.
They rode through Valentine proper first, looping around the familiar streets. Arthur watched the town with a more critical eye than usual, not as a passing outlaw but as someone imagining permanence.
Too close to the sheriff's office?
Too many roads feeding in?
Too many eyes?
Caleb pointed things out as they went.
"Too exposed," he said of one stretch east of town.
"Floods in spring," about another near the river.
"Good land, bad neighbors," when they passed a cluster of ranches too tightly packed.
Arthur nodded, offering his own observations.
"Pinkertons would love this road."
"Too many fences."
"Not enough natural cover."
They rode north first, then circled south, gradually expanding outward. The morning stretched into late morning, the sun climbing higher, the air warming.
By the time noon approached, they'd checked half a dozen potential areas.
None felt right.
Some were too isolated, suspiciously so. The kind of place that made lawmen curious. Others were too open, wide plains that left no room to hide if trouble came calling. A few were promising but too small, hemmed in by natural barriers that would make expansion difficult.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 7/10
- Luck: 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 4)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 4)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 4)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 4)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 4)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 3)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 2)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 4)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 4)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Trilingual Language Proficiency - G, I, & C (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 4)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
- Drugs Resistance (Lvl MAX)
Money: 3,726 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 112,892 dollars and 61 cents, 11 gold nuggets, 65 gold bars, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 Colm's Schofields, land deed (Parcel), 1 Mauser, 1 Semi Auto Pistol, 1 Lancaster Repeater, 1 Old Wood Jewelry Box, 1 F.F Mausoleum small brass key, 1 Ruby, 1 Braithwaites Land Deed, & 1 Broken Pirate Sword
Bank: -