Desperados

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rufusluciusivan
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Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Desperados

Post by rufusluciusivan »

Desperados

Quick introduction. This new story is more a test than anything. It was inspired by my playthrough of Desperados III (once again a huge thank you to Ascetic for pointing out the existence of this game) and features characters from this game. For those who don't know, Desperados III is a Real-Time Strategy Stealth-Based Game, developed by Mimimi Games (of Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun fame) and published by THQ Nordic The setting is Old West America (1875).

For those who didn't play the game, I will try to quickly sum it up: The main character is a man named John Cooper, a bounty hunter who's trying to have his revenge on Frank, an outlaw responsible for the death of his father. Currently, Frank is working as an enforcer for a corrupt railroad company called the DeVitt Company. Cooper will therefore end up trying to put an end to the plots of the evil company while also trying to kill Frank.

Cooper is helped by his friend Hector Mendoza, a boisterous trapper who used to be part of Frank's gang long ago but quit it when Frank went too far. During the events of the game, he will meet other companions: 'Doc' McCoy, a former doctor who's also an elite marksman now working as a bounty hunter; Isabelle Moreau, a woman who practices voodoo and is working with a marshall called Wayne to expose the criminal activities of the DeVitt Company; and the character that will interest us the most in this story, Kate O'Hara, a woman working with her uncle in a ranch the the Company is trying to take by force for its lands, and the one who can disguise herself in the game.

This story takes part in Louisiana, shortly after the New Orleans Mission and before the Queen's Nest Mission. The main characters just found out that Wayne may have been kidnapped by the Company and sent to a place called the Queen's Nest.

Feel free to let me know what you think of it. This part is short, I have a slightly longer one that I will probably one day post in the same topic, though I don't know already if this will turn out into a real longer series. Anyway, it was fun to try a different setting.

Kate O'Hara:

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamco ... 71db3e.jpg

Isabelle Moreau:

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamco ... 508a2c.jpg






Story 1: Redwood Run

**************

How did we get to this? Kate asked herself.

It was Baton Rouge's fiasco all over again...

One moment, they were in the saloon of a small town called Redwood Run, trying to gather informations. Thanks to their previous infiltrations in New Orleans, they knew that marshall Wayne and other people kidnapped by the DeVitt Company to be used as slaves were locked in a place called the Queen's Nest, in the middle of the bayou. However, according to Fracine's contacts, they could find more informations in a small town called Redwood Run.

The next moment, they had to flee an angry mob of townspeople out for their heads. Angry townspeople armed with guns and whisky. Lots of whisky.

During the flight, Kate and Isabelle were separated from the others. They managed to lose three groups of pursuers, each one more drunk than the previous.

They took shelter in the town's barn, a building slightly isolated from the rest of Redwood Run. They were hiding behind some haystacks. For now, nobody had found them. However, they needed to find a way to regroup with the rest of their group and flee this town.

“Good Lord, these people are persistent.” Kate said. She glumly looked at her brown dress and her white blouse, which were torn up during the escape. “And rowdy...”

“They tend to be like that when they think you killed someone.”

“Shouldn't they let the Law handle things?”

Isabelle chuckled. “In these parts, they like to take matters into their own hands... Especially when people like me are involved, if you see what I mean.” She was smiling, but Kate could see that she was more affected than she let on.

“I do.” Kate simply answered. Isabelle didn't want to talk about the subject anyway, just like when they tried to enter the Chez Manu at New Orleans... and were told that her 'kind' wasn't allowed there.

“Hush, I think I hear some of them coming.” Isabelle suddenly said.

**************

While chatting, two women entered the barn.

“I tell you Liz, some satanic swamp witchery is at work! Just like the one in Baton Rouge! Heard they turned the sheriff's wife into straw there...”

“No way! So that's how they poisoned the mortician...”

The first woman had white skin, black hair and brown eyes. Her hair were tied up into a ponytail over her left shoulder. She was rather pretty, but her harsh voice and her accent were unpleasant to listen to.

The second woman also had white skin, but her shoulder-long hair were loose, on her back, and light brown. She had hazel eyes and was slightly shorter than the first woman. While she had the same accent as her partner, her voice was a lot softer.

Both women were wearing smilar-looking leather cowboy boots and black trousers. (There didn't seem to be much choice in this small town's shop...) The woman with the ponytail was also wearing a red poncho, a brown Stetson, and a white bandana around the neck. The woman with the light brown hair was wearing a brown poncho, a black hat and a black bandana around the neck.

The pair was also armed with rifles. And each had a cartridge belt full of ammunition.

“But Sarah... Why would they do such a thing?” the woman with the light brown hair added.

“Who knows? They're strangers, Liz!” the one with the ponytail answered.

“Still... I can't help but think that we're missing something...”

“I tell you, it's best to not ask questions. You see them, you shoot them! Now, come with me and search the barn... I have a hunch we'll find something in here...”

The two gunwomen started to search the building. Luckily for the two fugitives, their pursuers were starting with the opposite side of the building.

“We can't let these two see us or they'll raise the alarm.” Kate whispered to her friend.

“Sweetie, I think that these women may be a blessing in disguise, if you catch my drift...” Isabelle answered.

Kate smiled lightly. She looked at her own dress and blouse, which were torn up during her escape.

“I think I do. Though I don't usually steal this kind of clothes...”

“Desperate time, desperate needs.”

The redhead nodded, then added: “Even if they are dumb backwards hicks, these people aren't with DeVitt. They just think we are criminals. Let's try to prevent things from getting bloody.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth!”

Isabelle rummaged around in her pouch. She pulled out her blowpipe and two darts. She coated them with a colorless liquid that she was keeping in a small vial. “This thing will make them sleep for around one hour. Way enough time for us to do our business.”

Kate didn't try to question her friend. Isabelle wasn't a doctor, far from it, but she was still able to concoct mixtures with spectacular side-effects. Even though she was calling it 'herbalism', the redhead couldn't help but wonder if all the locals' talks about 'voodoo witchery' didn't have a grain of truth in them...

“Hurry up!” Kate whispered. “They're about to search behind the haystacks! They will spot us in a few moments.”

Isabelle put a dart inside her blowpipe. “I have a plan. Take your Derringer.”

**************

The two gunwomen were now searching the other side of the barn, and were about to look behind the haystacks. Isabelle aimed her blowpipe, and blew.

The blowdart hit Sarah in the neck.

“Bloody hell!” The ponytailed black-haired woman froze and grabbed the dart. “Damn bugs... They'll be the death of m...” Her eyes widened when she looked at what was in her hand.

“Now that's one weird bug...” Liz commented.

“That's no bug!” Sarah retorted.

“Then what is it?” her partner asked.

Sarah suddenly felt weak. Her legs trembled.

“S... Swamp witchery...” she uttered.

Then her eyes rolled and she crumbled on the wooden floor. She was asleep before even reaching it.

“The fuck?!” Liz exclaimed. She then saw Isabelle, with her blowpipe still in hand. “Witch!” She tried to raise her rifle.

Kate pointed her small Derringer pistol at her before she could. “I would drop my weapon and put my hands up if I were you.” she said.

The other woman blinked and stared at her.

Then she wisely chose to comply.

“On your knees.” Isabelle added.

Liz's eyes shot daggers at her, but she got down on her knees nevertheless, hands still up.

Isabelle took her second dart. She immobilized Liz with one arm and jabbed the needle of the dart between the woman's shoulder and neck. “Don't worry, it will only make you sleep for the next hour.” she said to the woman who was reflexively trying to struggle. “You'll live.” The spasms quickly stopped though, and Liz went limp in the black woman's arms. Isabelle laid her on the wooden floor next to Sarah.

“Effective.” Kate commented.

“Swamp witchery, remember?” the black woman answered with a smile. She rolled Sarah on her back. “Now, let's get to work.”

The redhead grabbed Liz. “I'm surprised these hicks allow their women to dress the same as men, let alone to use firearms...” Kate said while removing the woman's brown poncho.

“Ain't easy to shoot in a dress.” Isabelle explained while unbuckling Sarah's belt.. “These small isolated towns know that they need everyone if they want to fend off gangs of outlaws.” She chuckled while taking off her victim's boots. “Of course, they would never admit it in front of strangers, or let them enter the church dressed like that...”

Kate chuckled. The poncho that she was holding was smelly and a little dirty, but if it was going to help them escape the townspeople out for their heads, the redhead wasn't going to complain. Well, not too much at least...

Kate also took the trousers, to replace her torn up dress, as well as the boots and the white socks. Liz was wearing white cotton drawers underneath, but Kate didn't touch these. Finally, since she was refusing to have this poncho of questionable cleanliness touch her bare skin, Kate also unbuttoned the woman's plaid shirt and took it off, though allowing her victim to keep her white cotton undershirt.

“Done. Now I just need to change myself and...” Kate paused.

Isabelle had also taken the boots, the socks, the poncho, the button shirt, and the pants of the other woman. Sarah was also left in her white cotton undergarments.

“Why did you...?”

“I know the poncho and the hat would have been enough, but I'm not one to refuse free clothes...” She looked at Liz and Sarah. “Now, let's tuck them in!”

Since they were in a barn, there was no shortage of ropes. Isabelle was very good with her hands when it came to trussing up people. Each woman's legs and thighs were bound with ropes. Their wrists were tied behind their backs. Then, they secured their upper-arms. Kate and Isabelle filled the two stripped gunwomen's mouths with strips of Kate's torn up dress. Two other strips were used as cloth-gags, one for each woman, and two more as blindfolds.

Blissfully unaware of their predicament, the two citizens of Redwood Run were still sleeping like babies.

“Adorable...” Isabelle commented with a smile.

Finally, they chose to hide the two unconscious underwear-clad trussed up women behind the haystacks. Isabelle grabbed Sarah under the shoulders and Kate grabbed Liz under the shoulders. They dragged their victims out of sight.

Once the pair was out of the way, Kate threw off her remaining clothes.

She grimaced because of the smell, but she bravely put on Liz's clothes: starting with the socks, then the pants and the shirt, the boots, and the poncho. Finally, she put on the woman's hat and used the bandana to cover the lower part of her face. It was perfect. From afar, nobody could recognize her.

Isabelle was almost done changing clothes. She was already wearing the pants, the boots, and the poncho which she was using to hide her pouch and her wooden blackjack. The hat and the bandana still in hand, she looked at her friend.

“Sweetie, even in these rags you still look stunning!” the black woman said with a smile.

“I hope it'll be worth it though. These clothes stink of gun powder and sweat...”

“Well, you can't always take the perfumed dress of a pretty coutesan of New Orleans.” Isabelle joked.

“Right now, I wish we still were at New Orleans!”

“Then let's regroup with the others and we'll return there. We'll learn nothing here. We need to prepare ourselves for our mission in the Queen's Nest.”

**************

Thanks to their disguises, they could walk in open view without fear of being shot on sight – at least as long as they kept their distance with everyone else. Luckily, the other townspeople were too busy searching every part of Redwood Run to interrogate them. As long as they walked confidently while looking busy, the illusion was perfect. They could hide most of their faces with the bandanas.

“Still, I wonder who made them believe that we were the culprits...” Kate whispered.

“They say a woman with red hair exited the mortician's shop just before his body was found. And they found a note signed with your name in his hands.”

“That's bullshit! A moron could see it's a set-up!”

“Well honey, we clearly saw they weren't the smartest bunch around these here parts...”

“I don't like that Isabelle. This move has DeVitt's pawprints all over it.”

“ I couldn't agree more. And I...”

A meow interrupted her. A cat was standing next to Isabelle's left foot.

“Stella! You found someone else?” the black woman asked to the animal.

The cat meowed again and scampered towards the outskirts of the town.

“I think she wants us to follow her...” Isabelle commented.

Kate nodded with a small smile.

Stella, Isabelle's cat, was a lot smarter than the average pet. Isabelle said that she was simply well-trained, but the redhead doubted her claims. Even the best-trained cat couldn't understand instructions that well... It was as if the woman and her pet were soul-linked...

This cat was the main reason why Kate was suspecting that her friend's competences were a little more than mere herbalism...

**************

Isabelle's cat allowed them to find McCoy, who was hiding in the woods near the town.

The stern Doctor didn't comment on their new clothes. Instead, he filled them in with the situation, as professionally as usual.

“I was looking for you. Cooper and Francine are hiding in the ruined house at the outskirts of the city. Hector has returned in town. He said he was going to create a distraction.” Doc explained. “I fear that he will do something stupid.”

“Perfect!” Isabelle said with a smile. “Then we just need to regroup with Cooper and wait for the spectacle.”

McCoy grumbled something in his beard.

“Sunshine, you're always there to brighten my day...” Isabelle joked at him.

**************

Unfortunately, two townspeople found the ruined house at the outskirts of the city in which Cooper and Francine were hidden before Kate and her group.

Isabelle, Kate, and McCoy crouched down in the tall grasses and watched the scene from afar.

“Come out of your hideout you rats! This is a lawful town, here!”

The gunwoman who just talked had shoulder-long dark blond hair, grey eyes and a white skin. She was wearing a brown hat, a red poncho, blue trousers, a cartridge belt, and leather boots. She was accomplanied by a slightly shorter woman sharing an uncanny resemblance with her, though with longer braided hair, and who was wearing similar-looking clothes. Her sister probably.

Cooper answered by shooting the ground in front of them to try to scare them. The two townspeople ducked behind two different parts of the ruined wall around the house.

“Oh, it's a fight that you want?!” the taller woman shouted. “Reinforcements are on the way, asshole!”

Suddenly, they all heard a huge explosion coming from the town.

“What the...?!”

“That's Hector... He must have found some dynamite.” Isabelle whispered to her two companions.

“I think reinforcements will be late, Casey...” the shorter gunwoman shouted.

“Who cares?!” the woman called Casey retorted. “Let's show 'em why you don't mess with the women of Redwood Run! Mary Ann! Grab your rifle! We'll waste these suckers!”

Another gunshot.

“Casey, I think he hit me! It's all red!”

“You're wearing a red shirt, you idiot!”

From her hideout, Kate and the others were watching the scene in dismay.

“Truly, we are facing the cream of the crop.” McCoy commented.

“Afraid they ain't worth your time, sunshine?” Isabelle snarked at him. “Then let the ladies handle things!”

“These two have all their attention on Cooper.” Kate added. “With the noise of the gunshots, I think we can sneak up behind them and knock them out before they realize we're here. Isabelle, you take Casey. I'll deal with the other woman.”

“Killing them would be faster...” McCoy objected.

“These people are maybe stupid hicks from a backwater town, but they are not working for the DeVitt Company. I refuse to kill them if we can avoid it.”

“Suit yourselves.”

The two women silently approached their targets.

“Casey! My ears are ringing!”

“What did you say? I can't hear you with all the noise!”

A second explosion could be heard from the town.

**************

Casey reloaded her gun, slightly rised over her cover, aimed, and shot. Then she quickly ducked down while another gunshot was heard.

“Bloody bastard!” she screamed.

When the gunwoman quickly looked over her shoulder she saw Isabelle and Kate approaching their respective targets.

The black woman stopped. She thought that they were done for.

But Casey simply smiled. “You see that, asshole?! Reinforcements are coming!”

Blessed are these disguises! Isabelle thought to herself.

In the heat of the moment, and because she only gave them a brief glance, the gunwoman only saw their clothes and didn't notice Isabelle's black skin.

The black woman grabbed her wooden blackjack.

Casey shot another bullet. “We'll fill your sorry carcass with lead and use it as a scarecrow, you piece of sh...” Isabelle hit her in the back of the head with her wooden blackjack. “Uh!”

Her hat fell on the ground. She quickly followed suit.

“Just take a nap...”

**************

To neutralize her opponent, Kate had her own personal technique. A kick in the groin. While it was more effective on men, even a woman couldn't take the hit and recover easily from it. Mary Ann dropped her rifle and fell on her knees with a small grunt of pain.

“That looks painful.” McCoy dryly commented from behind Kate.

“Still better than a bullet to the brain if you ask me.”

The doctor gave her a handkerchief soaked with chloroform. “Maybe. But I know which one hurts more.” he answered.

Kate clamped the hankerchief over the woman's mouth and nose to put her to sleep.

Isabelle arrived, carrying the unconscious Casey on her back as if the latter was a sack of grain. She threw her burden on the ground next to her companions. The woman with dark blond hair grunted when she hit the ground.

At the same time, Mary Ann lost consciousness with a long sigh.

“Well, that takes care of 'em!” the black woman said.

She waved at the ruined house.

Cooper and Francine left their hideout.

Kate was relieved to see that they were fine. Especially John.

She and John had gotten closer to each other during their adventures.

Francine was one of marshall Wayne's contacts in New Orleans. Isabelle knew her a little. She was a white-skinned brown-haired hazel-eyed woman in her mid-thirties. She was working as a 'courtesan', as she liked to call herself. While there were already a few grey strands in her hair, she was still beautiful. After they arrived in New Orleans, she contacted them. Francine was the one who learned that they could find some informations in Redwood Run.

Currently, she wasn't amused.

“Can't say that I'm blown away by the quality of my contacts' intel.” she dryly commented. “It was one of my favorite dresses...” Francine's garment was torn up: it didn't come unscathed from her flight.

“Technically, the Company did have something to do with this town. They set up a trap.” Kate answered.

“I don't like it, Kate.” Cooper intervened. “They saw a woman with red hair exit the mortician's shop. We know it's not you, but it means that the Company knows enough about our wherabouts to set up traps targeting us specifically. I don't want you to be...”

“We should have this heartfelt discussion later.” McCoy interrupted him. “Let's leave.”

“You may wanna change clothes first...” Isabelle said to Francine while looking at her torn up dress.

“Would we have the time?”

They heard a third explosion. Then a fourth, even louder.

“I don't think investigating the gunshots is their priority right now.” McCoy dryly commented.

“I hope he's not destroying too much of the town.” Kate said. “They're already enough angry at us.”

“He's not blowing up buildings, if that's what worries you. He's throwing them in the fields and the orchards.” Cooper explained.

“Well, I prefer that. I wouldn't want to have to explain to Wayne why we murdered townspeople with dynamite.” Isabelle said.

She then pointed at the two unconscious gunwomen.

“Anyway, since we have the time... Francine, go ahead, take your pick.”

Francine looked at Casey's dirty greasy dark blond hair and at the dirt on her sister's face.

“More like pick your poison...” she dryly commented.

The brown-haired woman chose Casey's younger sister, Mary Ann, because at least her hair weren't greasy. She quickly stripped her.

“You're good at removing clothes...” Kate said to her.

“You have to be in my profession.” Francine answered with a smile.

In the meantime, Isabelle grabbed Casey's wrists to tie them behind her back. Her victim started to stir and to groan in protest. Isabelle absent-mindedly hit her in the back of the head before finishing to bind her. “Quit complaining! At least you'll live.” She shoved the gunwoman's own bandana into her mouth. “Mmm! Mm! Mm! Mmmm!” Another hit in the back of the head. “So loud...” the black woman said while rolling her eyes and knotting the bandana behind the woman's neck.

Kate looked at Casey's dirty greasy hair and frowned. “Glad I didn't have to steal her clothes...” she commented.

“Try her sister's.” Francine retorted. “They're not much better!”

Casey's sister was down to her underwear now. The undergarments were similar to the ones worn by Liz and Sarah: white cotton drawers and a matching undershirt. Casey, who had regained consciousness, stared wide-eyed at the scene. She struggled to try to free herself from her bonds, but Isabelle had now hogtied her and she couldn't do anything about it.

While Francine was putting on her new clothes, with the men politely turning their heads away, Isabelle quickly hog-tied and gagged Mary Ann.

“Let's regroup with Hector and flee this town.” Kate concluded. “I have enough of these hicks. Let's return to New Orleans, where things are slightly more civilized.”

They left Casey and her sister behind to struggle in their bonds and groan in their gags.
Last edited by rufusluciusivan on Sun Apr 25, 2021 4:47 pm, edited 6 times in total.
ascetic
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 6:21 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by ascetic »

Marvelous work, rufusluciusivan!
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1224
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by rufusluciusivan »

ascetic: Thanks. I guess in a way, these short stories exist thanks to you, since you allowed me to discover that game. And this time, the boots are stolen... :D

**************

Story 2: New Orleans

**************

Francine's 'shop' (at least that's how she was calling it) was located in one of New Orleans' wealthy districts. Currently, only Kate and she were inside.

The others went to the Queen's Nest, a place hidden in the middle of the bayou, to try to rescue marshall Wayne and the other kidnapped victims of the DeVitt Company. Kate was left behind because they needed someone to observe how things were evolving in New Orleans, and Francine couldn't do it alone.

However, Kate didn't intend to just sit idly while waiting for her companions to come back. She intended to use her time alone at New Orleans to gather more informations about the Company's whereabouts.

“The woman you are looking for will rest at the Grand Hotel, room 25.” Francine explained to Kate. “If things go south, come back here in my shop.”

She showed her a secret trap door in the wooden floorboard, in a corner of the lounge.

“You will hide in the basement.”

“Thanks a lot, Francine...” Kate said with a smile.

“You don't need to thank me! I heard about what you guys did at the Red Lantern. How you infiltrated the place, and trussed up everyone here – the girls, the guards, even Irving himself!”

Kate smiled sheepishly. Things weren't supposed to happen that way. She was supposed to simply impersonate one of the courtesans working in the brothel. With the help of Isabelle and McCoy, she managed to achieve her goal by ambushing their target in her room in the Red Lantern. A little hit with Isabelle's wooden blackjack and a hankerchief soaked with chloroform put the woman out of commission, and Kate took her pink dress.

Then, things went out of hand. After Kate and Isabelle trussed up the courtesan, now only clad in her white light linen underdress, one of the gunwomen guarding the brothel entered the room at the wrong moment. Before they could hide their victim. (The owner of the brothel, Irving, preferred to hire women to protect his girls, as the men could become too grabby.) McCoy would have shot her, but since the employees of the Red Lantern had nothing to do with the DeVitt Company, Isabelle and Kate opted for a less bloody way. The guard was left trussed up next to the stripped courtesan.

Then the other guard went to see what was taking her partner so long. Then other courtesans heard the noise... Then a third guard... Then Irving himself came to check why there suddenly wasn't anyone anywhere anymore... Then, they realized that they had to basically neutralize everyone in the building if they didn't want their victims to be found.

Ultimately, when they left the Red Lantern, everyone in the Red Lantern was bound and gagged somewhere.

Isabelle, Kate, and McCoy made an oath to never speak again about this embarassing turn of events.

“We were looking for informations.” the redhead explained sheepishly.

“I don't care about your reasons, darling.” Francine said with a smile. “Irving is the town's laughingstock, now. And that's good for my business!”

“In that case, I'm glad that I could help you. Even if it was unintentional.”

“You're welcome! And remember. Grand Hotel, room 25.”

**************

Later, at the Grand Hotel, room 25...

Kate finished slipping on the gorgeous bright red evening dress. The article of clothes was almost reaching her ankles. There were white lacy trimmings on the collar and the sleeves. The neckline was a little low, highlighting her charms, but not too low and therefore wouldn't be seen as scandalous. Kate was also wearing chic ankle boots. Her hair were tied up into elegant ringlets and there was a brooch with a red rose on it.

“I have to thank you, miss Scarlett, for allowing me to go to the party on your behalf.” the redhead said to the woman lying on the bed. "And for lending me your dress, your boots, and your jewelry."

Scarlett Hamilton had had a lot of luck during her life. First, she had the luck of being a beautiful woman. She was of average size – neither too tall or too short. Her white skin was flawless, save for a beauty spot on the right cheek that was actually adding to her charms. Her neckline-long auburn hair were curled in ringlets. She had green-hazel eyes and nice curves, as well as shapely legs. Second, Scarlett had the luck of marrying a wealthy man. Rhett Hamilton, the owner of a prosperous plantation. Third, the man actually died of sickness while she was still young, making her a rich beautiful widow, who could now enjoy the pleasures of New Orleans while also being one of the most coveted hands of the region.

However, today wasn't Scarlett's lucky day...

Kate wanted to infiltrate a party at the Chez Manu, one of the fanciest clubs of New Orleans. For that, she needed an invitation and a dress.

Scarlett was one of the few women in the town who had both, and wasn't accompanied.

Therefore, nobody would be worried by her absence: everybody would assume she just chose to not come. By the time someone would be looking for her, Kate would already be finished with her little infiltration.

On her hotel bed, lying on her right side, Scarlett was snoring. She was looking peaceful, as beautiful when she was asleep as when she was awake.

Kate had used the white sheets of the bed to bind and gag her. Strips of sheet were binding the young widow's ankles, her legs, her thighs, her upper-arms, and her wrists. A cloth gag made of another strip of sheet was tied around her lower face to prevent her from spitting the handkerchief used to fill her mouth. Kate wasn't as good as the others to tie up people – after all, it was hard to coneal ropes with a dress. However, she found that her ropework was decent. Scarlett would have a very hard time freeing herself alone after waking up.

Before leaving, McCoy gave Kate one of his bottles of chloroform. Well, he was calling it 'chloroform', but it was faster-acting and didn't have dangerous side-effects. Kate wouldn't have been surprised to learn that Doc modified the mixture. He striked her as perfectionist enough to do such a thing.

Kate ambushed Scarlett just as she was about to leave her hotel room. She clamped a handkerchief soaked with the mixture over the woman's mouth. A few breaths, and Scarlett was out like a light.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. But I really needed a dress to infiltrate this party.” Kate said to the unconscious woman.

Her victim was stripped down to her undergarments. She was wearing white silk drawers with a leaf-and-flower pattern.

https://www.gallery58.eu/wp-content/upl ... -front.jpg

To cover her breasts, Scarlett was using of these 'corset substitutes' patented in 1859 by Henry S. Lesher of New York: one that was combining shoulder straps, breast pads and armpit shields.

https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/ ... %3DUS24033

Some people part of the Victorian Dress Reform Movement were considering it a step in the good direction, a way to get rid of the impractical corsets. Kate didn't know much about all that. In the family ranch, she didn't have the time to wear frilly dresses or corsets...

The redhead shook her head. Thinking of the ranch was making her think of her uncle, and his death when the men of the DeVitt Company attacked the family ranch to take their lands by force.

Just so the corrupt railroad company could build their new railroad...

To change her mind, Kate put on Scarlett's gold necklace. Time to party...

In her dress, Kate hid the tools and weapons she would have for this mission: her small Derringer pistol, McCoy's bottle of chloroform, a handkerchief, and a bottle of perfume filled with one of Isabelle's potion. Her friend told her that, if she broke the bottle, it would release a thick white irritant smoke. A perfect tool to blind an opponent and flee.

Kate left the hotel room, and its blissfully asleep occupant, then locked the door.

**************

The party at Chez Manu was as lavish as Kate imagined. However, she wasn't here to dance or to enjoy the buffet.

Mr. Van der Laar and Mr. O'Connors were two wealthy merchants that had a lot of influence in New Orleans and its surroundings. They were also associates of the DeVitt Company. The two men themselves were honest – well as honest as a merchant could be – and weren't taking part in DeVitt's criminal operations. They didn't even know about them: just like most people, they were thinking that the DeVitt Company was a mere honest railroad company. However, they still had informations about DeVitt's whereabouts, and Kate was hoping to worm informations out of them.

Thanks to Scarlett's dress and her own charming smile, Kate easily managed to be invited at their table by the two merchants for a friendly game of poker.

They had been playing for the past half-hour now, and Kate was subtly steering the conversation in the direction that she was interested in: Vincent DeVitt and the DeVitt Company. Things were going according to plan...

“Hello, gentlemen. Room for one more?” a voice asked behind her.

The question interrupted Kate's train of thoughts.

The newcomer was a woman, probably in her early- or mid-thirties, although it was difficult to give her an age. She was probably looking younger than she really was. Kate couldn't tell if her hair were a very light shade of brown or a very dark shade of blond. She was tall, fit, had a white skin, and icy blue eyes. Her nose was very slightly crooked but, strangely, it was adding a strange wild charm to her face instead of lessening her good looks. She was wearing a gorgeous dark blue dress, and her hair were tied up into a simple but elegant chignon kept in place by a gold brooch adorned with a sapphire. She wasn't wearing any other jewelry though.

“Of course!” Mr. Van der Laar said.

Apparently, he knew this woman....

The newcomer looked at Kate. She said: “I think we never met. Pleased to meet you, miss...?”

“O'Donnel.” Kate lied. “Jane O'Donnel. And it's a pleasure, miss...?”

“Victoria. Like the Queen.”

“English, uh?”

Victoria smiled. “I don't think it really matters in this New World... I was born here. I never saw England, let alone Her Majesty.”

“Of course.” Kate said.

Victoria sat next to Mr. Van der laar. They started another round of poker.

**************

Kate was sure that Victoria was cheating, but she couldn't prove it. So she kept quiet and watched the woman win nearly all the rounds. The redhead was trying to not show it, but she was annoyed. This unexpected turn of event was ruining her plan to collect informations. Now that they were losing, the merchants were a lot more focused on the game, and didn't chit-chat anymore.

In fact, ever since Victoria had arrived, the two men were acting strangely. First, none had commented on Victoria's suspicious bout of luck. Second, they were treating her as an equal, even though they were supposed to be wealthy merchants and she was supposed to be a mere socialite. And, more importantly, they seemed to know her. While the newcomer wasn't bad-looking at all, Kate could clearly see that the two men were absolutely not enticed by her charms. Yet, for some reason, they were acting a lot more respectfully with her than they had to. They even seemed a little... wary of her. The redhead understood that something fishy was going on.

To give herself courage, Kate quickly and discreetly touched the weapons that were hidden in her dress for this mission: her Derringer pistol, McCoy's bottle of chloroform, and the bottle of perfume filled with Isabelle's potion.

“I think I'm not in luck tonight...” Mr. Van der Laar finally said.

“Me too.” Mr. O'Connors added.

“I think I'll take a break... and a whisky.” the first merchant concluded. He stood up. “Care to join me?”

The other man did the same. “I'll follow your example.”

“Take your time, gentlemen!” Victoria said. “We ladies need to have a talk...”

She watched the merchants go to the bar.

“I seem to be living up to my name tonight...” Victoria then commented with a smile once they were out of earsight.

“You speak latin?” Kate asked.

“Absolutely not. But the priest of my village told me the meaning of 'victoria' when I was a kid.”

In spite of the chit-chat, Kate suddenly had a bad feeling. She felt reassured by the sensation of the small Derringer pistol hidden inside her dress and the perfume bottle filled with Isabelle's potion, that was turning it into a true smoke bomb.

“So, Jane, what brings you here in New Orleans?” Victoria asked.

“Business.”

“A woman doing business on her own? I respect that.”

“I think we women are too often overlooked.”

Victoria nodded. “I couldn't agree more. However...”

She paused.

“Now that we are between ourselves, ''Jane'', I think that we can be honest with each other. Your story is nothing but bullshit. Isn't it... Miss O'Hara?”

She knows my real name!

“You're with the DeVitt Company!” Kate understood.

This woman wasn't a true socialite. Her swearword and brief bout of accent revealed to Kate who Victoria really was: a gunwoman working for the corrupt railroad company.

Victoria smiled. “Of course.” She stretched herself. “Fuck dang it! It's good to finally stop using these fancy words...” In her voice, Kate could now discern the rough accent most of the gunwomen of the DeVitt Company seemed to share.

The redhead briefly scanned the room. She couldn't see any gunslinger, but she was sure that some goons of the DeVitt Company were hidden among the guests. Kate resisted the urge to run away, as well as the urge to grab her Derringer. Both actions would probably lead to her death.

“I'm sure you have a gun on you. I also have mine.” Victoria added, as if she was reading her mind. “Why don't you try to shoot me? Let's see if you're a faster draw than me...”

“What do you want from me?” Kate asked, trying to remain calm and keep her compsure. She was acting as if Victoria was a dangerous animal. No matter what happened, she couldn't let her see her fear.

“I told you. To talk.” the woman with very dark blond (or very light brown) hair answered.

“I have nothing to say to the likes of you.” the redhead retorted, with venom in her voice.

“Then you can shut up and listen to my proposition.” Victoria said without losing her smile. “Mr. DeVitt has been displeased with your recent actions. Yup, that's the word he used: 'displeased'. Flagstone, Eagle Falls Bridge, and now here at New Orleans... Your actions are hurting the Company's incomes.”

In spite of the danger of the situation she was in, Kate couldn't help but feel angry. These people were responsible of her uncle's death, they tried to destroy her ranch. They violently took lands from small owners, used legal loopholes to still practice slavery, and kidnapped innocent people to use them as slaves. And yet they dared to be 'displeased' because their incomes were threatened?! Because people were trying to put an end to their illegal activities?!

“Did DeVitt cry?” she retorted. “I will send him my handkerchief.”

Victoria chuckled. “I admire your wit, girl. That's why I'd be sorry to blow your brain out... Honestly...”

“Spare me the preliminary talks. Get to the point.”

“You're a smart woman, Kate. You know that you can't win against the Company. That's only a question of time. Why not abandon ship? What do you owe to these fuckers that call themselves your companions anyway? In exchange of your cooperation, you will get back your ranch, and a generous compensation for your uncle's death. Enough to be your own woman. To be free to do as you please, and run your own business at your leisure without having to marry some rich asshole who would tell you what to do.” Victoria put a huge roll of bills on the table. “Consider this an advance.”

Kate didn't say anything. Did they really think she was stupid enough to fall for their trap?

Instead, she grabbed her perfume bottle.

For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, Victoria frowned.

“Is this a way to show your disdain for me, or are you seriously going to do yourself up at a time like that?”

“This is a special perfume. A friend made it for me.”

"Wha...?"

She smashed the bottle on the floor next to Victoria. It released a thick white irritant smoke.

Kate fled while the gunwoman was coughing, and took advantage of the fact that all eyes were on Victoria. Several men and women rushed to Victoria's rescue, a proof that they were working for the Company.

Just as she was leaving the room, she heard Victoria try to scream: “Don't waste your time with me, idiots! Catch her!”

**************

I need a new disguise.

Her dress was too loud. Logical, since it was designed to make its wearer the center of attention. However, now, Kate wasn't anymore trying to impress people during a social event. She was trying to run and hide. And this dress was making both actions difficult.

Kate hid herself in a storage room of the Chez Manu. Hopefully, her pursuers would start by searching outside the building, thinking that she wouldn't take the risk to stay inside. (Which was actually the reason why Kate didn't leave.) The redhead needed time to think of a plan. Most importantly, she needed new clothes. A disguise. Maybe she could find a cloakroom?

When the door opened, Kate quickly hid behind a shelf. Someone entered.

The young woman was a servant. She was wearing a convervative black dress, a white apron, and a white Victorian bonnet hat. Her chestnut brown hair were tied up into a strict chignon under the hat. She was rather young, in her mid-twenties at most, and had a white skin and hazel eyes.

The servant was whistling a merry little tune while searching the shelves. She was apparently unaware of the commotion at the other side of the building. It meant that the goons of the Company didn't ask her about Kate. This was good news for the latter: apparently, her pursuers rushed outside the buiding to search the streets. She had a little reprieve.

Kate realized that this was a great opportunity. No one ever looks closely at a servant's face... Hopefully, nobody was searching this part of the building yet. She grabbed her handkerchief and soaked it with McCoy's chloroform.

The redhead waited until the woman's back was turned, then jumped her. With one arm, she encircled the servant's waist and blocked her arms. With the other hand, she clamped the soaked handkerchief over her mouth and her nose.

“Mhhh! Mhhhhh! Mhh!”

With her heel, Kate kicked the storage room's door to close it. She kept a firm hold on her victim.

“Shhh! Shhhh!” she whispered to the young woman. “I'm not going to hurt you. This will only make you sleep.”

"Mhhhhhh!"

The panicking young woman was desperately struggling, but to no avail. Her frantic screams were muffled by the thick handkerchief, and each breath she was taking while trying to fight back was making her feel more and more sleepy.

“Mhhhhhhh...”

Finally, the servant's body went limp in Kate's arm. The latter gently set down her burden on the floor.

“Sorry... I had to do this...” Kate whispered to her.

The redhead didn't waste any more time. She unlaced the apron and took off the bonnet hat. Then she removed the ankle boots, the socks, and finally the black dress by lifting the servant's upper-boy. The woman was wearing a white cotton slip as underwear underneath. At least, she won't be too exposed... Kate thought, feeling a little bad for the young woman who didn't do anything wrong.

There actually was some rope in this storage room, and Kate put it to good use. She bound the woman's wrists behind her back. Then, with the same coil of rope she tied her ankles. However, she kept the hog-tie loose, therefore the rope wasn't raising the woman's legs and it wouldn't give her cramps. In the front pocket of the apron, Kate found a clean thick neckerchief, that she shoved into the woman's mouth. She used a rag found in one of the shelves as a gag, covering the servant's mouth with it and tightly knotting it behind her head. Finally, the redhead dragged her victim in a corner of the storage room, out of sight.

Kate took off her dress and the gold necklace, and hid them with the servant. She left the piece of jewelry inside the woman's slip. Hopefully, she would be able to sell it after her ordeal was over.

Then the redhead put on the maid uniform, and used the bonnet to hide her red hair.

She used the young woman's keys to lock the door of the storage room, then headed towards the exit.

I need to go back to Francine's shop.

**************

Outside, it was raining.

Even though the white bonnet hat wasn't very useful to protect her from the elements, Kate didn't complain. The thick rain was making her enemies' search harder and was concealing her.

Gunmen and gunwomen were searching the streets. She had to carefully avoid them and it took her a long time to reach her destination.

When she arrived in front of Francine's 'shop', the redhead was soaked. At least I am safe...

She knocked on the door.

No answer.

I don't understand. Didn't Francine say that she was staying at her 'shop' today?

Kate tried to open the door. It wasn't locked. She entered and silently closed the door behind her.

“Francine? Are you here?”

Still no answer.

Kate became worried.

She quickly searched the place.

And she found her in her lounge.

Francine was lying on the floor, wearing nothing but her undergarments. Her eyes wide open were staring at the ceiling. Her undershirt was red. Blood red.

“No!”

Kate rushed to her side and checked her pulse. It was too late. Francine was dead.

“Fuck it! Who did that?” the redhead spat.

Kate didn't have the time to grieve however, or even to investigate further. She noticed through the window the light of a lantern approaching the house. They saw me!

Kate quickly came up with a plan. She quickly ran to the back door of the shop, opened it, but didn't leave through it. Instead, she used the secret trap door of the lounge to hide in the basement.

A few seconds after she closed the trap door, the entrance door burst open.

Two gunslingers entered.

“You sure you saw someone enter?” the first one asked.

Kate recognized the voice. It was Victoria.

Through the wooden floorboard, Kate could see that the woman had changed clothes. She was now wearing heavy leather boots, black trousers, a large grey mantle, a red bandana, and a black hat. Her hair were tied up into a loose ponytail. She was looking way more comfortable dressed as a gunslinger than dressed as a woman.

“It was a woman, I swear! A servant!” the henchman next to her said.

“You still here, Kate?” Victoria shouted. She was pacing up and down the room, scanning each corner.

If she knows about the secret trap door, of if she finds it, I'm dead... However, the redhead couldn't do anything now. Except keep her Derringer gun, and pray. She had to remain silent.

“Look at what you did, Kate!” Victoria added. “You killed that poor woman to steal her clothes... I bet it was an accident, but you still have to pay for your crime.”

She's bluffing. She doesn't know I'm still here.

Still, how could she know about the murder so quickly? Kate understood. It was them! It was the Company! Probably not Victoria herself, as she was at the Chez Manu when it happened, but another goon of DeVitt.

“Think you can escape us, sweetie? We're putting the city on lockdown!”

They killed Francine to frame me, and to have an excuse to put New Orleans on lockdown! The bastards!

Kate considered shooting at Victoria through the floorboard with her Derringer pistol, but she didn't know if the gun would be powerful enough to shoot through the wooden planks. And she couldn't get rid of Victoria and her henchman at the same time. It would take too much time to reload. If she shot, she would give away her position.

“I'm part of Frank's gang, Kate! You have no idea what I could do to you if you don't come quietly... It would be a shame, really... Or maybe you prefer to fall into the hands of Frank himself? The result wouldn't be pretty...”

Victoria finally noticed the backdoor that Kate had left open to make it look like she fled through here.

“She did come here, but she has already left. Mortimer, with me. We'll find her!”

Victoria and her henchman left the room through the backdoor.

Kate left her hideout when she was sure that they weren't coming back. Before leaving, she glanced one last time at the woman who helped her and paid for it with her life.

“Sorry Francine.”

Kate didn't know her much, but still... Another death for which DeVitt would have to pay.

She disappeared in the rain.

**************

Kate hid in an empty stable, the time to think of a plan.

Now that her pursuers knew that she was dressed as a servant, she needed another change of clothes.

The redhead was watching the street from her hideout. The Company's goons weren't patrolling this part of the town yet, but it was only a matter of time. They seem to prioritize the docks.

Wait!

A figure was emerging.

Kate saw the gunwoman, and realized she had a great opportunity.

This Company guard was alone. She was tall, with a white skin, and had light brown hair and blue eyes.

While she was sneaking up in the streets, Kate noticed that all the guards working for the DeVitt Company, while they technically weren't wearing uniforms, were clad in similar-looking clothes. Which was logical: given their number, they couldn't know the faces of everyone and therefore needed a way to quickly recognize their colleagues. All the guards, including the women, were wearing the same large grey coat, blue trousers, brown leather high boots, red bandanas, and black hats. And this gunwoman was no exception.

This also meant that Kate would be able to blend in with the right set of clothes... More precisely, with this woman's set of clothes.

The gunwoman entered the stable to search it.

The second her target couldn't be seen from the street, Kate jumped in front of her.

“The fuc...”

The redhead grabbed her by the shoulders, and violently kneed her in the stomach.

“Guah!”

The gunwoman looked at her with an incredulous look. Slowly, she fell on her knees.

“Guh...”

Kate didn't have much time. She didn't know if other pursuers were near, and her victim was already trying to catch her breath.

She moved behind the gunwoman, grabbed her Derringer pistol and pressed the barrel of the gun against the back of the woman's head. With her free hand, the redhead hand-gagged her.

“Not a peep! Or I blow your head out.”

The gunwoman angrily groaned, the sound muffled by Kate's hand.

“You want to try me? My Derringer doesn't make a lot of noise. I'm pretty sure that between the rain, the screams and the loud footsteps, nobody would hear the bang...”

And she had another reason to not want to use her gun, at least for now. New Orleans was being put on lockdown by the DeVitt Company, probably with the help of some corrupt officials. She needed this woman's clothes to pose as a guard of the Company if she wanted to be able to roam the streets. The disguise would work better if there wasn't blood on it.

This time, the threat was effective. The gunwoman fell silent. Kate listened carefully. She waited until she was sure that no other gunslinger was nearby.

“We will get up and go further inside the stable. Slowly. Make one sudden more, one attempt to fight back, and you're dead.”

The gunwoman nodded.

Both women got up, Kate still keeping the barrel of her gun pressed against her prisoner's head and still hand-gagging her. They took a few steps further inside the empty stable.

“Now, I will remove my hand and take a few steps back. You will nicely raise your hands. My gun is still pointed at you.”

Carefully, not losing sight of the woman's hands, Kate took a few steps back, until she was out of the guard's reach.

“Unbuckle your belt. I don't want you to have your gun at hand's reach.”

The gunwoman complied. “You can't escape us, you murderer.” she defiantly said. Her belt, and her gun, fell on the floor. “You should surrender.”

Well, apparently she truly thinks that I'm the one who killed Francine. Oh the irony! I guess only the higher-ups of the Company's goons know the truth.

“For now, I'm the one holding the gun.” Kate retorted. “Take off your coat, your shirt, your trousers and your boots.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Take off your clothes.”

“Go shave your as...”

Kate made the hammer of her gun click. The effect was instantaneous, alsmot magical. The gunwoman quickly dropped her coat on the floor. Then she unbuttoned her shirt before removing it and throwing it on the floor, kicked off her boots, and slid her trousers before stepping out of them and leaving the item of clothes on the floor.

“Funny how quickly bravado goes out the window when you have a gun pointed at your head...” Kate commented.

Under her clothes, the gunwoman was wearing white cotton drawers and a matching cotton undershirt as well as white woolen socks. The undergarments were reminding Kate of the ones worn by Liz and Sarah, the two women she and Isabelle ambushed in Redwood Run. However, the Company gunwoman was wearing underwear of better quality. For a commoner, these undergarments would even look fancy.

“I see that DeVitt has money to spare for his attack dogs...” Kate derisively commented. Then she added, this time with a harsh tone: “On your knees.”

The woman hesitated.

“I'm not going to shoot you.”

Of course, it was a lie. Now that she didn't have to fear getting blood on the clothes, she didn't need that woman alive anymore. The Company killed Francine.

The gunwoman reluctantly obeyed, wincing in anticipation. She wasn't stupid. She knew she had outlived her usefulness. She was shaking.

However, Kate didn't pull the trigger. She was hesitating.

The redhead herself was surprised by her reaction. They killed Francine!

Kate didn't understand why she was hesitating. She had killed people before, and many times it was not in self-defense. She several times had to infiltrate places to help the rest of the gang get into them. Sometimes, it meant shooting someone from behind. As long as this person was working for the DeVitt Company or a criminal gang, it didn't bother her to kill. However, executing another woman (even though she was working for DeVitt) while the latter was defenseless, half-naked, shaking, and on her knees... Well, for her at least, it was too much. She wasn't even sure if this woman knew about Francine's death. Not all the guards of the DeVitt Company were recruited in bands of outlaws, some of them were locals – especially in the big towns. Was this woman one of them?

I should have shot her the second I had the chance... Now, I've made it difficult. Kate quickly grabbed the bottle of MacCoy's chloroform and her handkerchief. Truly, I am way too nice. Ultimately, however, she decided that she wanted to be better than the Company.

“The only reason you're still alive is because I wanted it.” she said to the guard. “You owe your life to my mercy. Think of it the next time DeVitt tells you to hunt me down.”

She didn't wait for the answer and clamped the soaked handkerchief over the gunwoman's mouth and nose. Her victim didn't fight back. A few moments later, she was deeply asleep.

Kate took off her servant outfit, only keeping her undergarments, and used the gunwoman's knife to cut the dress into strips, that she used to bind her victim's wrists and ankles then to gag her. However, while she was trussing up her victim, she couldn't help but think: You won't always find an easy way out, Kate. Once she was finished, she admired her handiwork. Not the best knots around these parts, but it would hold the woman off long enough after the effects of the chloroform wore off for Kate to flee this district of the town.

She disguised herself with the gunwoman's outfit.

Perfect! With this rain, the coat and the hat would easily conceal her identity.

**************

Kate managed to escape the district thanks to her disguise.

Apparently, Victoria was exaggerating when she said that they were putting all of New Orleans on lockdown. They were mostly taking the control of the district around the Chez Manu, the Red Lantern. And the docks. Which was logical in a way. The DeVitt Company was maybe rich and powerful, but it was still a mere railroad company. They couldn't go too far, or else the Army would get involved.

Francine had the foresight to inform Kate about several other places scattered in New Orleans that she could use as hideouts. She went to one of them, the closest to the exit of the town. She had to wait for the others.

**************

The mission at the Queen's Nest was a success. The slavers' camp had been set on fire. The gang was back, with marshall Wayne, after having rescued all the other kidnapped victims.

However, their mood darkened when they saw the state of the town and Kate brought them the bad news.

Francine was dead, New Orleans was being put on lockdown. The Company had not said its last word.

And Frank, the one Cooper desesperately wanted to kill for revenge, was here. In the docks under the control of DeVitt's men.

They chose to separate into two groups. While Isabelle, McCoy and Wayne were going on their way, scouting the town (and discussing the question of the payment of Doc for his services), Hector and Copper decided to try to infiltrate the docks to get to Frank. They didn't want Kate to come with them, but she left them no choice.

While on their way, the redhead asked: “Hector, John, do any of you know about a gunwoman named Victoria? She claims to be part of Frank's gang.”

Hector scratched his beard.

“I remember her. She joined the gang shortly before I...”

Hector sared a glance with John. He didn't like to talk about his past, when he was part of Frank's gang.

“Shortly before I left. How long was it...? Ten or fifteen years ago...? I don't remember. She was roughly twenty at the time, perhaps even younger. The gang captured her while she was riding alone on her horse. Heard she was wanted for killing her husband and stealing his money. Frank wanted to give her to the men, but she didn't show any fear. I remember she retorted that he could at least take her first, as if she was doing him a favour. She amused Frank. He took her in the shed and... Well, I don't know what she said to him that day, or even if he put her in his bed, but when they exited Frank said that she was now part of the band.”

“Why would he do that?” Kate asked. “From what you told me about him, he didn't strike me as the merciful type...”

“Frank has many talents, but subtelty is not one of them. Victoria helped him compensate this flaw. I guess that's why he kept her. Back when Frank's gang was still active, he sent her to scout an area before a heist. She would disguise herself, explore the area, help her accomplices get into the place, and set up ambushes. She's a dangerous one. Nasty and crafty.”

A bit like me... Kate couldn't help but think.

“Well, I think DeVitt sent her after us.” she said.

“Then we have one more thing to be wary about.”
meditions142
Posts: 1250
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 2:51 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by meditions142 »

Wonderful description of the chloroforming of the servant girl. Really sexy!
esercito sconfitto
Posts: 7096
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:06 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by esercito sconfitto »

Rufusluciusivan, this new kind of story is delightful and it has a potential of wildest possibilities :D


Please please please try to make true an old fantasy of mine, a stagecoach robbery in the desert, with Kate and Isabelle choosing among the dresses and elegant little boots of the hapless and unhappy passengers lined up barefoot and in their underwear and forced to look at these two robbers!

You can' t imagine how badly I have wanted and dreamt of a scene like this
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1224
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by rufusluciusivan »

Thanks meditions! I liked making this description a little more detailed than usual, so I'm glad you found it good. And, of course, thanks to you too esercito sconfitto. This setting indeed offers many possibilities, although it has one drawback that makes me think that, if I continue, I won't write as many stories as with a modern setting: a lack of variety when it comes to underwear. Though, for the time being, this specific storyline will be put on hold probably until I finished my other story. My playthrough really inspired me to test a few things with these two short stories and I have a few ideas to try to conclude the story arc with a few other short stories, but I don't want to do two things at once.
tirepanted3
Posts: 1934
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:40 am

Re: Desperados

Post by tirepanted3 »

Very nice. Certainly a bit grittier and more serious than the Utopia stories, but still fun. Kate is a compelling lead character, and her perspective on disguises - particularly her reluctance to mug innocent women, like the poor maid - is quite interesting.

I understand the difficulties of writing stories in a period setting, and not just with regards to underwear. ;) It can be difficult to capture the setting and vernacular right. I've never seriously attempted a USB story set in the past before, though I've occasionally speculated on it. Perhaps someday.
rufusluciusivan
Posts: 1224
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm

Re: Desperados

Post by rufusluciusivan »

Grittier, that's the exact word I was looking for. ;) I wanted to be closer to the tone of the game, so it indeed is darker compared to my previous stories.
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