Partida Rol por web

-Killing men is my specialty. I look at it as a business proposition, and I think I have a corner on the market. -- Tom Horn

Jack and Choctaw had almost finished preparing the supplies and equipment at the stables when Jason Bronson came in to get his horse. He had slept till late, and now Harvey and Crowe were already on their way to Sabbath. He needed to hurry up.

–Saludos, he muttered and splashed some water to his tired face from the water bucket. –I heard you two are ridin´ south to hunt some Mex rustlers. Good luck, and I´ll have that bottle of whiskey waitin´ for ya Choctaw, he said. –I heard beating Crowe was like stealin´ from a blind man's cup.

He took his saddle and put it on his horse. –I´ll be seeing that Mexican girl. Rosanna. At Lucas´ saloon. D´ya wanna me to say somethin´ to her?

-Tell her, we need to meet Alacran. We are not going to disobey your old man, but in case everything goes to hell I would like to have Alacran at my side. - Jack said. - If Rosana can found him quickly, he could catch us and hunt those thieves with us.

- Maybe the cattle thieves and Alacran are family - Choctaw laughs. - Or maybe not. Just tell Rosanna that we want to meet Alacrán. Can you?

Choctaw rides his horse

- What do you think about this crap? Your old man can convince the lawkeeper to stay calm or not?

-Alacran has been moving around the Mexican territory, down south, ya know?, Jason said lowering his voice. -If he´s on our side, he can have some information.

Jason never really trusted the Mexican outlaw. And he had not seen him for months. He could have switched sides, the blood was thicker than water as they said. 

-There is an old hacienda a few miles east from the Creek. It´s a saloon now. Maybe you can find Alacran there, I´ll talk to Rosanna also in case he rides to town to see her.

Jason mounted his horse, and looked at the two. -Don´t worry about the lawman. My pa will fix him, one way or the other. If he is a reasonable man, he´ll be rich very soon.

- We will check that saloon. Perhaps when we come back that fucking lawman is on Bannock again. - Jack has finished his preparing and mounts his horse ready to leave. - 

The two hired guns had a long ride ahead of them. Bornite Creek was a small highland range twenty miles south form the Wolf Pass, which marked the end of the Bronson territory. Beyond the Creek, there was uncharted Mexican territory with a few farms here and there. And the clandestine cantina Jason had told about.

Jack had scouted the area in the summer, and he was leading the way. As they approached the area, the terrain got more and more difficult.

While they head for the Cantina, Jack looks for some track of the catle thieves.

Jack looked for tracks, but the ground was too hard and he was not sure of the exact route. He would need more time and ride in circles from Bornite Creek towards South and West.

Or they could visit the Cantina, known as Casa Rodrigo. But the local Mexicans were very suspicious of armed gringos wandering around their territory.

Choctaw was in silence all the time. Thinking about Alacran. He looks for a track too.

- What the hell happens with that mexican? He must be close. Maybe we can look for a fire at night. Or a hill to watch this area. What do you think?

The two men had decided to camp for the night. They had been riding in circles in the difficult terrain, looking for tracks and trying not to fall from their horses. As the night approached, they prepared a small tent and a fire. It got chilly after sunset, and they could hear a coyote howling in the distance.

They were in the middle of a vast sparsely populated territory. There were plenty of hideouts and farms, and to make matters worse, the locals usually either hostile or indifferent towards gringos. And they did not like the rich white cattle barons such as Bronson. There had been rumors about cattle rustlers becoming more organized, and dangerous. Alacran had spent months in the area. Supposedly, he was there to learn more about the Mexicans thieves, infiltrating among them. But he had not sent word in a long time. Maybe he had joined his Mexican compadres? Or fled the area?

Jack and Choctaw had to be careful. They were in a hostile territory, like predators they had come to hunt for their prey. But easily the hunters could become the hunted.

-Jack I'm just up to the balls Alacran. I don't think he left Rosanna behind. We must keep an eye on the cantina. He will go there for a drink. And we can talk to him then. Or we can catch a fucking mex and make him talk. I like the second way, but ... I think we must try the first one. Any idea?

Jack takes a cigar and starts to smoke.

- What do you think? The crazy bastard double-crossed us or not?

- All right, let's go to the cantina and start looking for Alacran. If he is on our side we can hunt the thieves togheter. If he is on the other side I will give my condolences to Rosana and try to comfort her when we come back. - smiles Jack.

- I think that we must be outside, in the shadows, watching. If Alacran appears, we must talk to him outside the cantina. But,... first is first. We are going to take a nap, and at sunrise we go to the cantina. I'm tired.

Choctaw prepares himself to pass the night

The next morning, Jack and Choctaw removed the tent and headed towards Casa Rodrigo. As they approached the old hacienda, they could see it is but an old Mexican adobe-style farm house that was now being used as a clandestine cantina.

Casa Rodrigo faced East, and the two men rode from northwest. So unless someone looked out the small kitchen window, or visited the outhouse at the back, they would not be discovered. Still, they prefered to wait before getting closer. On the North side, there was a newly built corral for the horses, and they could see a five horses.

Then could see a Mexican man coming out and mounting one of the horses. He was wearing a poncho and a big hat, and two bandoleers with bullets across his chest. He headed south without looking back.

The two hired guns recognize the white horse as Alacran´s! And after a while, they can see their compadre coming out and walking to the back to visit the outhouse. He is wearing an army-style worn out jacket, and his stetson. He is stumbling, as if he was drunk.

After relieving himself, he walks towards his horse.

Choctaw is smoking and joking with Jack when they see Alacran.

- That sumbitch is there. Let us see where is going, then we can talk privately. If there are  troubles, I don't wanna be close the cantina.
 That moron seems to be drunk, if he double-crossed us is gonna be an easy target. If not, he can tell us everything he must, without witness. What do ya think?

While Jack and Choctaw decide the course of action, Alacran gets on his horse not without some difficulties, and rides slowly and zigzagging north, the opposite direction the other Mexican had gone earlier.

He moves slowly so it would be fairly easy to catch him, also he is not following the trail path.
 

Alacran got to his horse, and started riding north. Towards Sabbath. Towards his pals Jack and Choctaw. Towards Rosanna. And revenge.