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I was still in Valentine, and by now, it was quite late at night. Uncle had already taken the three ladies back to camp. That damn Jimmy Brooks had made me chase him all over, and by the time I finally headed back, it was already dark. I was exhausted.

I figured there was no point in riding all the way back to camp just to return to Valentine again in the morning looking for work. So, I decided to spend the night in town. After a bit of searching, I found a decent room at a reasonable rate in a local hotel and crashed there for the night.

The next morning, I headed toward the sheriff’s office. Uncle had mentioned that I could pick up a bounty contract there and make some money. Ironically, there was already a bounty on my own head and on the rest of my gang. But the folks in Valentine didn’t know that, and neither did the sheriff, who had no clue we were the same outlaws who had robbed Leviticus Cornwall’s train.

As soon as I stepped inside, I saw the sheriff and a lawman discussing a case. The sheriff glanced at me and said, “Maybe this man can help us.” The lawman turned to me and asked, “You a bounty hunter?”

I smirked. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

The sheriff leaned back in his chair, eyeing me carefully. “Well, if you’re not a bounty hunter, then I doubt you’re here just to pass the time. That leaves only one other reason that you’re here to confess to a crime and turn yourself in.” At that, the lawman chuckled.

The sheriff stood up and looked me in the eye. “Look, mister, I’ve been doing this job a long time. I don’t know who you are, and frankly, I don’t care. But I do know this: we don’t hire saints to catch sinners. If you bring this man in for me, I’ll pay you handsomely.” He pointed toward a wanted poster on the wall.

“Alright,” I said, glancing at the poster. “Who’s this guy?”

“Benedict Allbright,” the lawman answered. “He’s a conman huckster and a killer.”

“He doesn’t pull the trigger himself,” the sheriff added. “He uses his so-called ‘miracle tonics’ to poison people. We got a tip that someone spotted him near a gorge on the north side of town. If you think you can bring him in alive, the contract is yours.”

It didn’t seem like too much of a challenge, and I needed the money. I figured, why not help the law for a change? Even though I was an outlaw myself—kinda ironic, right? I took the contract and set off to track him down.

As I neared Dakota River, I slowed my horse, staying cautious. The tip-off mentioned that Allbright had last been seen around this area. After riding a little further, I spotted a lone horse on top of a cliff and a man sitting near a campfire. I dismounted and approached quietly.

“Are you Benedict Allbright?” I asked suddenly.

The man jumped up, startled, as if he hadn’t noticed me approach. “No, not me, sir.”

“You sure about that? You look just like the guy.” I took another step forward. “Someone told me I’d find you here.”

His face gave him away—pure panic. Before he could make a move, I said, “Look, mister. My mother’s sick, and I need to buy some medicine. I heard you’re a good man, and you can help me. I’ll pay you in gold.”

“Oh, in that case, for a sick mother, I’d be happy to help. I am a healer, you know…”

That was all the confirmation I needed—this was my guy. I pulled out my pistol. The moment he saw the gun, he panicked, stumbled backward, and slipped right off the cliff, plunging into the river below.

“Oh, shit,” I muttered as I rushed to my horse. Jumping onto the saddle, I took off after him.

He was struggling in the river, carried downstream by the current, screaming for help. I was worried he might hit a rock and die before I could grab him.

Eventually, I managed to catch up and toss him a rope, pulling him out of the water. Then, I tied him up with the same rope, threw him over my horse, and rode back to the sheriff’s office. He kept begging and pleading the whole way, promising he’d never kill anyone again. But I wasn’t about to let him go.

As I walked into the sheriff’s office, my eyes landed on the sheriff, who was holding hands with a woman. The moment he saw me, he let go and shot to his feet, clearly flustered.

“Oh! I didn’t expect you back so soon,” he said.

I smirked. It was obvious he had something going on with the lady, but I had no interest in getting involved in his personal affairs.

I handed over the bounty, collected my reward, and stepped outside.

(To be continued…)

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Disclaimer

^{Arthur Morgan and the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 might be fictional creations by Rockstar Games, but my love for this game? 100% real. This is a new kind of adventure I wanted to bring to Steemit. I’m narrating the story of RDR2 from the perspective of its protagonist, Arthur Morgan, offering a fresh and immersive take on his journey. Rather than directly copying the game’s dialogues, I’m weaving Arthur’s emotions and experiences into a creative and fictional retelling. You can also experience this story in a cinematic way. I play the game, record my gameplay, edit the footage in the best possible way, and upload it to my YouTube channel. This way, after reading each story episode, you can watch it unfold like a movie.}

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