If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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Caleb stood near the roaring fireplace in the drawing room, a deeply satisfied smirk touching his lips as he watched the socialites practically buzzing with anticipation. He knew with absolute certainty that word of mouth marketing was very, very effective in this time period. There were no televisions or internet algorithms. The most powerful advertisement in 1899 was the desperate, jealous whisper of another rich people wanting to be on an exclusive guest list.
That was exactly why he used it. He had no intention of taking advance bookings tonight. He planned to let the rumor simmer here, boiling over in the private clubs and country estates over the next few weeks, and soon it would spread like a virulent contagion to the entire population of the elites in Saint Denis, and even outside of the city to the wealthy capitals of the East Coast.
By the time Strauss officially opened the mahogany doors in Strawberry, the tycoons would be trampling each other to secure a reservation.
Time passed beautifully. The massive grandfather clock ticked deeper into the early hours of January 1st, 1900.
Eventually, even the endless stamina of the Gilded Age elite began to wane. The orchestra's sweeping waltzes slowed to soft, melodic background music, and the guests, exhausted from the sheer adrenaline of the firearms auction and the heavy flow of vintage alcohol, began to call for their carriages.
The party was finally ending.
The massive double doors of the grand foyer were opened to the crisp, freezing night air. Antonio and the immaculate household staff coordinated the retrieval of the heavy mink coats and silk top hats, while the mafia capos carefully carried the purchased Collector's Edition firearms out to the waiting carriages, loading them under heavy guard.
Everyone returned back home, their pockets significantly lighter but their egos massively inflated, completely convinced that they had just witnessed the greatest, most important social event in the history of the state.
Caleb stood on the grand marble porch of the estate, buttoning his tuxedo jacket against the biting winter chill. He personally said his warm, highly charismatic goodbyes to the departing guests, shaking the hands of the Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the various tycoons, sealing his absolute political and economic dominance over the city.
And standing faithfully right beside him, as she had all night, was Mary-Beth.
She looked breathtaking in her dark emerald gown, the cold air bringing a beautiful, rosy flush to her cheeks. She smiled warmly at the departing wives of the politicians, offering gracious nods and perfect, high society pleasantries, acting as the absolute flawless Madam of the empire.
But as the final, gold trimmed carriage rolled away down the white gravel driveway and the massive wrought iron gates were finally pulled shut by Silvio and the guards, the adrenaline of the evening finally faded.
The deep, profound quiet of the estate settled over them.
Caleb turned to Mary-Beth. He noticed the way her shoulders slumped just a fraction of an inch now that the public eye was gone.
He saw the way she delicately covered her mouth to stifle a small, exhausted yawn, her dark eyes fighting a heavy, undeniable wave of sleepiness. She had been on her feet for hours, navigating the treacherous, razor sharp social politics of the city's elite, all while supporting him unconditionally.
Seeing how she actively fought her sleepiness during this time just to remain by his side, a sudden, incredibly profound wave of emotion hit Caleb square in the chest.
It wasn't just affection. It was a deep, world altering realization of exactly what she meant to him.
As he looked at her beautiful, tired face, Caleb's hyper intelligent mind suddenly remembered exactly how John Marston had taken his step much earlier to propose to Abigail. In the original timeline, John had been a reluctant, foolish man who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into domestic responsibility, only proposing after years of running and suffering.
But here, thanks to Caleb completely altering the trajectory of their lives and making massive timeline changes to secure their wealth and safety, John had stepped up to the plate with pride and fierce conviction, buying a platinum ring and securing his family's future.
Caleb stood on the marble porch, the cold wind rustling the lapels of his tuxedo. He had conquered the criminal underworld. He had built a massive, legitimate corporate empire. He had altered history, forged advanced weaponry, and manipulated the United States government.
But as he looked at Mary-Beth, he realized that maybe, just maybe, it was also time for him to do the exact same thing John did for Abigail. It was time for him to do it to Mary-Beth.
After some time he had arrived in this brutal, unforgiving world and joined the gang, Mary-Beth had been his absolute rock. When he was covered in the blood of rival gangsters, she didn't look at him with terror, she looked at him with understanding.
When he was designing weapons of apocalyptic destruction in the study, she sat quietly beside him, her pen scratching across the notepad, organizing his chaotic genius into reality.
She was the anchor that kept his humanity intact.
Caleb knew the darkness that resided within him. He knew that with his max level skills, his boundless capital, and his terrifying physical capabilities, it would be incredibly easy for him to become a true, unfeeling monster.
He could have become worse than Angelo Bronte. He could have become a tyrant who ground the city into dust just for the thrill of the power.
But Mary-Beth kept him grounded. Her gentle nature, her sharp intellect, and her unwavering, fierce love for him acted as an impenetrable barrier, ensuring he did not go past a certain moral threshold. She made him want to build a safe, golden future, rather than just ruling over a graveyard.
She was his queen in every sense of the word, but she didn't have the title or the ring to prove it to the rest of the world.
"You're exhausted, sweetheart," Caleb murmured softly, breaking the quiet silence of the porch.
He stepped closer, wrapping his strong arms securely around her waist. He pulled her flush against his chest, shielding her from the freezing winter wind. She let out a soft, contented sigh, resting her head against his shoulder, perfectly molding against him as if they were two halves of the exact same soul.
"It was a very long night, Caleb," Mary-Beth whispered, her voice heavy with sleep, her arms wrapping around his neck. "But it was magnificent. You were magnificent. They practically ate out of the palm of your hand."
"I couldn't have done a fraction of it without you standing right beside me," Caleb replied, his voice a low, vibrating hum of absolute sincerity. He reached up, gently brushing a stray lock of dark hair away from her face.
He looked down into her deep, beautiful eyes, the chaotic noise of the city, the factories, and the empire completely fading away into nothingness. There was no mob boss in that moment, and there was no grand mastermind. There was only a man looking at the woman who had saved his soul.
"Let's get you inside," Caleb said, leaning down to press a warm, lingering kiss to her forehead. "You need to rest."
"Carry me?" she mumbled playfully, a tired, beautiful smile touching her lips.
"Always," Caleb chuckled softly.
He smoothly swept her off her feet, lifting her into his arms bridal-style. Mary-Beth rested her head against his chest, her eyes fluttering shut as Caleb carried her back through the heavy double doors of the mansion.
As he walked through the grand foyer, past the silent, respectful nods of Antonio and the remaining guards, Caleb's mind was completely made up.
Tomorrow, he would not go to the factory, and he would not meet with the capos.
Tomorrow, he was going to walk into the absolute finest jeweler in Saint Denis, and he was going to buy a diamond that would make the stars look dim. It was time to secure the greatest treasure he had ever found in this world.
Caleb carried Mary-Beth up the winding, heavily carpeted steps of the grand staircase, the chaotic, euphoric energy of the New Year's Eve party completely fading away behind the heavy oak doors of the master suite. The sprawling bedroom was a sanctuary of quiet warmth, the massive stone fireplace having been freshly stoked by the household staff, casting a flickering, golden glow across the imported Persian rugs and the heavy mahogany furniture.
He gently lowered Mary-Beth to her feet beside the massive, four-poster bed. She offered him a tired, incredibly affectionate smile, her eyes heavy with the sheer exhaustion of navigating the razor sharp social politics of Saint Denis's absolute elite for the past eight hours.
Caleb stood back for a moment, simply watching her as she moved to the ornate vanity. She carefully unpinned her dark hair, letting it fall in thick, beautiful waves over her bare shoulders, before she slowly began to unlace the intricate backing of her breathtaking emerald evening gown.
She changed out of the heavy, restrictive silk and velvet, slipping into a much more comfortable, loose fitting white cotton nightgown that trailed elegantly against the floor. Caleb, feeling the bone-deep ache of his own grueling week finally catching up to his supernaturally enhanced physique, also took the time to shed his tailored midnight blue tuxedo.
He unfastened his bowtie, discarded the crisp white silk shirt, and changed into a pair of comfortable, dark cotton sleep trousers.
The two of them climbed into the massive, incredibly soft mattress, pulling the heavy, down filled winter quilts up over their shoulders. Mary-Beth immediately curled into his side, resting her head against his bare chest, her breathing evening out into a soft, rhythmic cadence almost instantly.
Caleb wrapped his arm around her, staring up at the shadowed canopy of the bed for only a few minutes before the heavy, peaceful darkness of sleep completely overtook him.
When they finally woke up, the freezing winter morning had entirely passed. It was well into the afternoon, the bright, crisp sunlight of New Year's Day streaming through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains. The house was blissfully, profoundly quiet.
They washed up and dressed in comfortable day clothes, making their way downstairs to the sunlit dining room. Antonio, possessing the uncanny, almost supernatural timing of a world class head butler, had already anticipated their waking hour. He had prepared a magnificent, restorative lunch for them.
There were silver platters of freshly baked, crusty bread, a rich, steaming bowl of roasted winter vegetable stew, and thick cuts of glazed ham left over from the massive kitchen preparations of the previous night.
The two of them ate together in a comfortable, intimate silence, occasionally sharing a soft smile across the mahogany table. Mary-Beth looked entirely refreshed, the dark circles of exhaustion completely gone from beneath her eyes, replaced by a radiant, contented glow.
After they finished their meal and the silent household staff cleared the silver plates away, Caleb stood up from the table. It was time to set his absolute most important, secretive plan into motion.
He walked back upstairs and changed out of his casual attire, stepping into a sharp, formal charcoal-grey suit. He strapped his customized, gold inlaid M1911 into the leather shoulder holster hidden beneath his tailored jacket, adjusting his cuffs before walking back down to the grand foyer where Mary-Beth was reading a novel by the window.
"I have to step out for a few hours, sweetheart," Caleb said smoothly, adjusting the lapels of his heavy winter overcoat as he approached her. He leaned down, pressing a warm kiss to her cheek. He lied to her with the absolute, flawless ease of a man who commanded an empire. "I will be leaving to head out to the factory to oversee the production for the day."
Mary-Beth looked up from her book, a slight, sympathetic frown crossing her beautiful face. "Today? Caleb, it is the first day of the new century. You just hosted the greatest party this city has ever seen. Surely the factory can run itself for a single afternoon?"
"It can," Caleb agreed, offering her a charming, highly persuasive smile. "But today is the day the first massive shipments of our standard issue guns are officially entering into the public market down here in the South. The logistical lines are going to be chaotic, and I want to make absolutely sure that Harrison and the capos have the shipping manifests completely locked down. I promise I won't be long."
Hearing that entirely reasonable, business-oriented explanation, Mary-Beth simply nodded her head. She didn't suspect him of hiding something from her for a single second.
She knew exactly how fiercely protective he was of his new military industrial complex, and it made perfect sense that he would want to oversee the initial public launch personally.
"Alright," Mary-Beth smiled, returning to her book. "Be safe, Caleb. I'll have the kitchens keep dinner warm for you."
"Thank you, darling," Caleb replied, turning on his heel and walking out the heavy double doors of the mansion.
Meanwhile, as soon as the doors clicked shut behind him, Caleb's entire demeanor shifted. The warm, loving partner vanished, replaced instantly by the cold, calculating, and highly focused Don of Saint Denis.
He immediately left the mansion grounds, walking briskly down the white gravel driveway where his luxurious, black lacquered carriage was already waiting for him.
He brought Antonio alongside him. The impeccably dressed butler stood by the open carriage door, bowing slightly as Caleb climbed into the plush, velvet lined interior.
Antonio followed him inside, taking a seat on the opposite bench, and tapped his cane against the roof to signal the driver. The carriage lurched forward, leaving the Garden District behind.
But they were not heading west toward the roaring smokestacks of the industrial sector. They were heading deep into the heart of the wealthiest, most exclusive commercial district in the city.
Caleb was leaving for the exact same, highly prestigious jewelry store in which he had personally accompanied John Marston weeks before to buy the platinum ring he was going to use to propose to Abigail.
As the carriage rolled smoothly over the cobblestone avenues, the rhythmic clatter of the horses' hooves filling the silence, Caleb turned his sharp blue eyes toward his most trusted confidant.
"So, Antonio," Caleb began, his voice a low, business-like hum. "The auction last night was a spectacle of absolute, unadulterated desperation. I saw the ledgers you were frantically scribbling in. Tell me the final tally. What was the exact amount of liquid capital we extracted from the city's elite?"
Antonio could not stop a wide, fiercely proud smile from breaking across his usually stoic, highly disciplined face. He reached into his tailored breast pocket and pulled out a small, leather bound notebook.
"It was a monumental success, Don McLaughlin," Antonio reported, his voice thick with genuine reverence for his employer's absolute capitalistic genius. "After the final Sweeper submachine gun was sold, and all of the promissory notes, bearer bonds, and gold certificates were tallied and authenticated... the family has received slightly more than three hundred thousand dollars."
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 8/10
- Agility: 8/10
- Perception: 9/10
- Stamina: 8/10
- Charm: 8/10
- Luck: 9/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl MAX)
- Rifle (Lvl MAX)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl MAX)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl MAX)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl MAX)
- Sneaking (Lvl MAX)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl MAX)
- Poker (Lvl MAX)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl MAX)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl MAX)
- Dead Eye (Lvl MAX)
- Bow (Lvl MAX)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl MAX)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl MAX)
- Crafting (Lvl MAX)
- Persuasion (Lvl MAX)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl MAX)
- Teaching (Lvl MAX)
- Trilingual Language Proficiency - G, I, & C (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 100x100x100)
- Acting (Lvl MAX)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
- Drugs Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Business (Lvl MAX)
- Leadership (Lvl MAX)
Money: 2,772 dollars and 60 cents
Inventory: 284,392 dollars and 61 cents, 11 gold nuggets, 74 gold bars, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 Colm's Schofields, 1 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, 1 Milton's Safety Deposit Key, Proof Of Marlin-Thorne Firearms Co., 10 Dynamites, 1 LeMat, 1 M1899, 1 Carcano, 1 Ownership deed of Doyle's Tavern, 3 Diamonds, & Important Documents & Deeds Of Cornwall
Bank: -