I'm Not The Courier and How to Deal With Cob

The dramatic click of a hammer being pulled back filled the room leading to silence as the man, Cobb Jack recognized him as, turned around to see a gun pointed at his forehead.

'Seems I arrived in this world in a rather inopportune time.'

---

 "I know who you are Cobb, and I know you don't know me. But if you don't turn around and walk out of here right now you'll get real familiar hm?" Jack Spoke with only a small part of the bravado being faked. While he didn't know their canonical crimes that had them jailed, he knew damn well what the fuckers would do.

Cobb's eye's flitted between the gun to his forehead, and Sunny not but a step behind having drawn her rifle as well. The belligerent man slowly rose his hands above his head, and with some gestures to move headed out the door under the careful watch of the two individuals that had him dead to rights if he moved a way they didn't like.

Sunny spared a nod to Trudy before following Jack as he lead Cobb out the door. Jack marched Cobb at close gunpoint but not too close, Sunny following right behind, seemingly judging what Jack would decide to do with the convict.

"Now you keep walking till we reach the edge of town, and don't even think about the gun in your waistband, or any extras you have squirreled away. You'll find this pretty little piece of precision engineering is quite quick."

With no other choice Cobb was marched along till the very border of town, the gun still pointed at his brain bucket. The dumb Powder Ganger deciding to try and work up some courage and gave a snide threatening remark, "We'll come back and there won't be a thing left of this little town you hear?"

Jack looked on with a face kept as blank as a champion poker player, Sunny watching on intently with her gun at the low ready. "Fine, Walk and see how far you and your stupid friends can get hm?"

Cobb spit at the ground and walked away slowly careful not to startle the two, deciding it better to get the message back quickly rather than starting a confrontation. Unfortunately for him he didn't get more than 5 steps away before Jack made a silent prayer for strength and pulled the trigger.

The power of the .45 ACP bullet left little left but modern art of Cobb's brain-or lack there of if his stupid decisions were any indication. Sunny didn't even flinch, but were Jack to turn around and look he'd likely see the way the look in her eye changed.

"Go head back and let Trudy know to prepare for trouble. I'ma take care of this guy so it doesn't bring any critters to town." Jack said without even looking back, making a show of going through Cobb's pockets for loot. Beginning to drag off the corpse further from the town until he was sure Sunny was out of sight. Unsure just what he would find he hesitantly approached. The prompt once more appeared, asking if he wanted to trade/"scrap" the loot and remains. With a grimace Jack accepted turning around with a slight shudder. At least it didn't make any noise.

He decided to wait a little longer before walking back, taking the time to gather his thoughts. There was little doubt Cobb deserved it, but taking a human life still felt like a rock in the pit of his stomach. Jack knew he wouldn't likely have the luxury to abstain from combat and that there would be a lot more to come, but he silently swore to himself he'd try and do good.

~~~

When he got back in town Trudy, Angry Pete, Cheyenne, and Sunny were outside the saloon.

"I really hope you know what you are doing. From the sound of it you knew who he was, I hope that means you also understand the danger this will bring. It won't take them long to come back for revenge when they realize he hasn't returned. I don't know if you are doing this to be a hero or for your own reasons, and I won't ask. But at least for the sake of morale you better damn go up there and talk to Ringo. Lord knows we're in for it now," Trudy told sternly before her gaze softened, "But I appreciate it nonetheless. If it weren't you I'm sure Sunny woulda done something similar. Now the big question is whether you're gonna stick around to help." The older woman looked at him expectantly.

Easy Pete looked at him with that false passive facade that didn't fool jack for a second. He didn't need his perception boiled down to the statistical level and gameified to know Pete was judging him just like he had when he'd walked into town. Sunny looked at him to, though she seemed she already knew his answer. Woman's intuition or something similar Jack passed it off as.

"I'm in for a penny in for a pound on this, but It'll take more than me and sunny to fight them off, could be in for a few or a lot of them. Now I have some ideas but we'll need some supplies," Jack spared a quick glance to Pete then the general store, "Explosives, barricades, extra weapons to go around perhaps. And I'm going to need some material, probably a good bit of it."

Trudy looked at Pete expectantly, the older prospector taking on a contemplative look, "I've got the explosives, but it wouldn't do a lick of good if you blow your hands off before the fight starts. I'm not sure I just want to hand them over 'less I know you've got knowledge in 'em."

Jack met Pete's scrutinizing gaze with determination, "Well I don't, but for what I have planned I won't need to so long as you don't mind lending a hand. I figure we have till tomorrow. I know their type, these dumbfucks wouldn't know tactics if they got ran over by a truck of west point graduates, pardon my french."

Seeing no opposition he continued, "Now I'm no tactician myself, but I've seen a thing or two from where I come," Jack said while once again exasperatingly waving westward getting a snort from Sunny, "Name of the game is a roadside bomb once they get close enough. Cripple and kill enough of them for people in some well laid positions to pour fire on em. Extra points from crossfire. You think we could get that done?"

Trudy and Pete shared a glance before nodding, Sunny smiling along with ferocity of her own to match.

"Good luck getting anything out of Chet, he's not known to be exceptionally charitable. Doc Mitchell would be good to have along, best Doctor this side of the wasteland, in fact he just managed to save some poor woman from a head shot." Sunny dropped like it wasn't a major deal for the plot (which she wouldn't know but come on woman know your dramatics better!) Jack inwardly cursed, filing that one away for later.

"Now I'm not necessarily an engineer, but there's some simple stuff that can be done for fortification and firing lines. Hell, if you could get a couple people worth their salt on a couple roofs with some cover, a few riflemen waiting from within buildings, we could pull this off before the arrogant pricks know what hit 'em," Jack said with a pretty vindictive smile. While he wasn't quite happy knowing he'd have to kill again, he was going to enjoy sticking one to the people that do evil throughways, and whoever thought two sides rushing each other made for a solid battle, "As for Chet, I can be persuasive. Once he figures out there won't be a damn town to sell to if he doesn't pitch in I think he'll bite."

The trio nodded and then looked back at him, "I'll come with you so you don't spook Ringo, and because Chet's vulnerable to a pretty face," Sunny commented.

"I'll see if I can get a couple people with shovels and pick's to get that going. I think I know just the spot, just gotta make sure I have enough fuse laying around," Old Pete responded.

"Guess I'll get some folks together and get prepared," Trudy said shaking her head.

"Let's get to it then, and Sunny you still owe me a drink after this," Jack replied receiving a teasing smile in return.

~~~

Chet was not having a very good day. The stuff with Ringo was bad enough for his bottom dollar, but some nobody showing up to play lawman and turn the town into a warzone? Horrible for profits. Only thing worse is said nobody damn near holding him up at gunpoint for everything he owns!!!

"Now you just hold on! You can't just come in here and demand I help with this silly little battle! I had no part in letting Ringo stick around! Don't try and rope me into this! Come on Sunny lend me a hand here I've always given you discounts!!"

Sunny was not pleased by that response, giving a snort before replying, "I know damn well thats because I pretend to look a little too long to let you gawk at my tits. Don't go playing Mr. Morality on me Chet. Don't you see if they burn the town to the ground there won't be no general store?" She frowned at him as if addressing a child throwing a tantrum.

"Well they'll still need a general store kicking arou-" He suddenly shut up as the stranger pulled the slickest looking black iron from his belt.

"Listen here Chet, you have two, no three options. The first one, and this is my favorite, is we strip you to your panties and send you packing through the sand and we take what we need. Plenty of merchants could take over in your stead. The second, the powder gangers come, and lets say they do burn the town down. Well, I don't know bout you but do you think murdering arsonists are gonna haggle for some overprices ammo? Or will they just do what they proved they are so good at? Murdering and Arson?" The stranger stated mockingly, that black handgun still pointed right at Chet.

"Or, we all win here," Cut in Sunny, "You give us what we need to win, you come out of it the hero who provided material aid in our time of need! We say you volunteered the supplies, our friend here goes on his merry way, and maybe we leave you some of the spoils hm? Doesn't that sound better Chet?" She said while leaning down just enough to let the lecher get a good look.

"Uh.. You drive a hard bargain. Pleasure doing business with you Mr...?"

"Nelson, and please Chet, pleasure's all mine."

~~~

Leaving Chet to begrudgingly haul out equipment to outfit the town while boxing up the Items Jack had specified be saved for him they left to meet the Doctor of the hour, and hopefully not have to answer what an ink blot looks like (it's two bears highfiving).

As Sunny knocked at the door Jack started wondering if he should be more worried just how fast his bravado was becoming less forced and more real. Shaking his head and passing it off as the sun and adrenaline getting to him as the door opened.

"Oh hey there Ms. Smiles, and who's this that's got the town in a ruckus? I gotta say I'm a little sad I didn't get my hands on Cobb myself but hypocritical oath and whatnot," Sunny rolled her eyes pointing at the laser pistol clunkily holstered at the Doctor's waist. Not willing to feed what must have been a running joke between them.

Jack reached his hand out and introduced himself, "I'm Jack Nelson, it's a pleasure to meet you Doctor, heard a lot about you,"

Taking the offered hand good naturedly the doc quipped in return, "Oh has this one been spreading fantastical stories again? That's a good firm handshake. I always say you can tell a lot about a man's character by a handshake."

Sunny quickly interrupted, "Oh come on Doc! You literally took a bullet outa some poor girl's noggin after she'd been buried! Damn thing was bouncin off the walls fit as a fiddle to leave in a hurry after all. Can't downplay that as anything less than miracle work."

The two shared a short laugh before Doc turned serious and turned to Jack, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Nelson, but I can't imagine this is a social call."

With a rueful smile Jack responded, "You're unfortunately right, there's gonna be a fight, might get nasty. I was hoping we might get some help? Could we trouble you to set up an aid station in the back of the saloon? Spare some stimpacks?"

The doc scratched his chin in contemplation, "It's been a while since I've done anything of the likes.. but I'm not really fit to help defend the town, these old bones get mighty protesty when I try and do too much. And the stimpacks aren't super cheap, but I happen to quite like this town and its got good people in it. I'll have to see what I can do for you."

"Thank you Doc, that'll be a big help."

The doc looked Jack in the eye for a solid second as if looking into his soul, "You didn't have to help the people around here, but you did. That means a lot with the way of the world right now."

Jack nodded solemnly, "I really want to try my best Doc, I can't say I expected to end up around here ever.." the understatement of the century, "But I want to do what I can to help. I'm sorry but if you could excuse us there's a little more to do."

"Sure, sure, its no problem. I'll go have a talk with Trudy and see what I can do."

With a nod and a thankful smile Sunny and Jack made their way up the short walk to the gas station, the town below a flurry of activity as carpenters and handymen of all kind running around to try and set up barricades and firing positions, people helped pass sandbags up onto the roofs. Trudy with a old style bullhorn trying to keep the people together, and Pete making sure the explosives work went as well as possible.

Leaving us to walk in to discover a cowering Ringo in the corner with a black eye, "I didn't mean to I wasn't trying to be impolite miss I- Sunny?"

Leaving Jack and Sunny to stare at eachother in bewilderment.