[Chapter 121: Bet Your Lives]
Buffalo, Wyoming.
This city, one of the largest in the state, had only a few tens of thousands of residents. The most prominent gun store, known as Buffalo Gun Shop, was located right by the town square.
Upon entering the store, Hawke led Erica to check out the handguns and rifles.
He remarked, "In the wilderness of Wyoming, the most dangerous creatures aren't the animals, but the people."
Erica had done her howork. "Wyoming has a low population density. If soone gets killed out in the wild, bears, wild boars, and coyotes will help cover it up. I saw an FBI statistic that said tens of thousands go missing in the wilderness across the U.S. each year."
A staff mber wearing a handgun approached them, asking, "What guns are you looking for?"
Hawke replied, "Let's start with handguns and semi-automatics."
They were definitely going to buy sothing comfortable to use. Erica added, "A Glock and an AR series."
The two approached the display case, where the staff mber took out two brand new Glock 17s.
Gun regulations in Wyoming were relatively lax, and approvals ca quickly. Locals like Hawke, who owned property, pretty much had a green light in no ti.
Before coming here, Erica had already obtained her firearm license and hunting permit, so buying guns wasn't an issue.
For long guns, they chose semi-automatic AR-15s.
Hawke ntioned, "We also need a shotgun, one that can take out a bear."
The staff mber led them to the shotgun section and handed them a long rifle, saying, "This is a Savage Bear Rifle, using .308 ammunition. It's a favorite among Alaskan bear hunters."
Hawke checked it out. The rifle was bolt-action with a four-round magazine, and in tric terms, that would be a standard 7.62mm.
As a hunting duo, Hawke chose a long-range rifle while Erica opted for a close-quarters weapon, the Winchester M12 shotgun.
Having selected gun bags, bullets, and magazines, they each grabbed a hunting knife.
Hawke paid for everything, while Erica carried two large bags to the car.
But that wasn't all. Hawke drove straight to an outdoor store to buy other necessities.
Next, they went to the largest supermarket in Buffalo, stocking up on a massive amount of supplies.
Not just food, but plenty of daily essentials too.
Hawke and Erica had agreed to temporarily stay at Osnt's small ranch.
He had previously contacted a real estate agency that had gone ahead to repair and tidy up the house, ensuring it was stocked with essentials.
Outdoor gear was expensive, and by the end of their shopping spree, they had blown tens of thousands of dollars.
...
As the sun set towards the west, Hawke drove his modified pickup truck towards Jeffrey City.
During the journey, they barely encountered any people.
Erica pulled out the DV Hawke had brought and fild the scenery along the way.
When they arrived at Jeffrey City, night had fallen. Hawke drove into the town, saying, "It's still about an hour to the ranch. Let's find a place to eat first."
Erica, feeling hungry, joked, "Let's eat first, or later I'll want to eat people."
The size of Jeffrey City, compared to Hawke's previous life, felt like a small village on the eastern plains.
There was only one main street, and not many restaurants. Hawke had been here before and parked in front of a place with a sign for barbecued at.
Erica slipped on a denim jacket and rolled a cowboy hat onto her head, securing her gun holster belt at her waist to ensure her Glock was visible.
That way she could avoid unnecessary trouble.
Hawke donned a camouflage jacket and secured his gun as they exited the vehicle.
On either side of the restaurant's entrance, two identical SUVs were parked, their front doors emblazoned with the words "Cougar Discovery Company."
Hawke glanced at the dirty wheels and sides of the vehicles as Erica brushed past him, pushing open the restaurant door. She turned back and gave him a nod, saying, "Let's go."
"Yeah," Hawke replied, following her inside.
...
The place wasn't crowded; there was only a table of six near the entrance.
They were dressed in matching uniforms with "Cougar Discovery Company" printed on their chests.
These guys were drinking, their faces already flushed from alcohol.
Erica automatically steered clear, heading towards a table at the far end.
So, Hawke followed her.
All six of them turned their gaze on Erica, erupting into laughter.
One of them with a scruffy beard discreetly pointed in their direction.
Hawke turned back, his hand resting on the gun at his waist.
This was Wyoming; it was crawling with tough cowboys. Weakness only invited oppression.
The six n's attention shifted back, and the scruffy-bearded guy shut his mouth.
Hawke pulled out a chair and sat down, grabbing the nu to ask Erica for her thoughts, waving for the owner to co over. "Jerry, we want two orders of Wyoming braised lamb, fried potato chips, special beef jerky, and a farm salad."
Jerry, who eyed Hawke and recognized him, said, "Long ti no see, have you returned to Los Angeles?"
Last ti Hawke was here, he had stayed for over a week, dining frequently and getting familiar with the owner. He replied, "I'm working in L.A. Just ca back for a vacation and to manage my little ranch."
Jerry quickly glanced at Erica, confirming with his eyes that she wasn't a local. He then said to Hawke, "Guess you've been making good money in the city."
Hawke gestured with his eyes, inquiring, "Who are those guys? I haven't seen them around before."
Jerry replied, "They're security for a mineral exploration company. They showed up the day after your last al here. They're a bunch of outsiders, causing trouble after drinking because they have a big company behind them. Best to keep your distance."
Hawke knew how to play his cards right, paying for the al and slipping Jerry a $20 tip.
Money spoke volus; Jerry pocketed it and added, "I've heard those guys don't play clean. Do you have anything valuable in your car? It's best to keep an eye on it when they leave."
"Thanks," Hawke nodded slightly.
Once the owner left, Erica asked, "We're not going to start a shootout on your first day back, are we?"
Hawke quickly glanced at the six n. "Shouldn't be."
The food arrived quickly. It had been a busy day for both of them, and now they were ravenous, hardly talking as they focused on refueling.
They both had a mutual understanding that the night would necessitate more energy.
When they each finished a portion of lamb, Hawke noticed the six n were getting ready to leave.
The scruffy bearded guy looked over in their direction.
Staying away from these people, Hawke and Erica had sat towards the back.
Hawke didn't say anything, instead indicating towards the window near the car.
Erica nodded slightly and walked over.
As those six exited the door, Hawke quickly followed.
...
Outside, it had grown dark, and it was very quiet.
Three cars were parked in front of the restaurant: the two SUVs the six had arrived in and a black modified Raptor.
One guy moved closer to inspect the window and the covered truck bed, saying, "There's treasure up there."
The scruffy-bearded guy pulled out a large set of keys, heading towards the pickup while saying to his friends, "Keep an eye out for , I'll need ten seconds."
Another guy with a tattoo on his neck turned back as he was about to go to the restaurant entrance, only to suddenly spot a person standing right there.
Hawke tightened his grip on the Glock, pointing it at the six, saying, "Listen up, gentlen, don't cause any trouble."
The two who had been raising their hands went to reach under their clothes.
With a loud bang, a gunshot echoed, sending dirt splattering up in between the six n.
The shot had originated from the window.
The two froze mid-motion.
Hawke warned, "You can try, but do you think you can draw faster than us? The stakes aren't high, just your lives."
Having tried to play tough, the scruffy one attempts to reason. "Hey man, we didn't touch your car. Let's be reasonable here."
"I'm all about reason," Hawke said. "But I ca out here to inform you that your step daddy is at ho playing video gas with your mother. You might want to get ho before you miss the authentic army surplus stew."
The scruffy guy's face instantly turned beet red with anger.
Yet, with the dual threats of black holes from the guns, he could only bite his tongue.
Hawke shouted, "Scram!"Those guys hurriedly piled into their cars, slowly backing out under the threat of guns, and pulled onto the road.
anwhile, Hawke swung open the rear door of the pickup, retrieving an AR rifle. He stood by the pickup, rifle at the ready, watching the taillights flash.
Erica stepped out of the restaurant, bringing another AR and standing close to him, saying, "People here are intense."
Hawke replied, "The tougher the place, the more dangerous the people."
Jerry, the restaurant owner, ca out, seeing their guns and quickly said, "Put those away! If you keep this up, I can't run my business!"
"Are you filled up?" Hawke asked when Erica nodded. To Jerry, he said, "Let's get more of that special beef jerky to go."
Jerry went back to gather the jerky.
...
Erica climbed into the back of the pickup, pulling out bullets and empty magazines for the AR, loading them.
She even loaded her M12 shotgun.
When Jerry ca back with the beef jerky, Hawke had paid, accepted the spare magazines handed over by Erica, and climbed into the driver's seat.
Erica settled into the passenger seat, holding her AR.
There was no tension or fear on her face; instead, she looked subtly excited.
Hawke started the engine and drove away from Jeffrey City towards the ranch, comnting, "You might want to calm down; you're coming off like a psychotic female assassin."
Erica rubbed her face, asking, "Really? Is it that obvious?" She laughed, lightheartedly saying, "Doesn't this scene remind you of Bonnie and Clyde?"
"No, no, those two were the villains," Hawke replied seriously. "We're the forces of justice."
He drove, glancing back often; nobody was following them.
It was a good distance to the ranch. After swapping out of the paved road, they also hit a stretch of gravel.
...
After nearly an hour, they ca upon a ramshackle wooden post and barbed wire marking the property line, where the headlights revealed a rundown hay barn and a two-story brick-and-wood house.
That was the result of the repairs Hawke had carried out the last ti he visited.
The pickup parked in the clearing in front of the house. Hawke jumped out first to turn on the exterior lights.
Erica stepped out with her gun, looking around before moving to the back to pull off the tarpaulin covering their gear.
Hawke unlocked the door and switched on the lights before stepping back to help.
They each grabbed a large box to carry inside.
Erica set her box down and looked around the interior with curiosity, asking, "So this is where you grew up?"
"Not exactly," Hawke replied simply. "That old house has long been torn down. This was built by soone who later bought the ranch. I bought the ranch back a while ago and fixed it up."
He checked the kitchen for water and the gas stove. "I got a real estate company to take care of this place; it was falling to ruin after being unattended for so long."
Erica wiped the surface of the table, finding it dust-free.
Hawke confird that daily living was in order and stepped out of the kitchen. "Let's unpack."
...
They moved in their luggage and supplies, putting food and water into the fridge, and sorting through everything.
Hawke took the new bedding upstairs.
"I need to use the bathroom," Erica said, grabbing her toiletries before rushing in, taking a quick shower, brushing her teeth, drying her hair, and changing into a snug outfit that showcased her athletic figure.
While she was drying her hair, a water sound ca from upstairs - soone else was also taking a shower.
Erica chuckled. After finishing with her hair, she erged from the bathroom, grabbed her gun holster belt with her handgun, and fastened it around her waist, waiting a mont.
In the anti, she pulled out the raw at she had prepared and threw it away from the house.
Returning after that, she waited for the water to stop upstairs before pulling on her leather boots and heading up the stairs.
Upon reaching the small loft upstairs, she noticed only one of the rooms had been made up.
The door to the other bedroom remained closed.
With one hand pressing against her gun holster, Erica placed the other on her waistband, casually walking to the window to gaze at the dark sky, as if admiring the stars.
In reality, she was putting on a show with her long legs and curvy backside.
Hawke stepped out of the bathroom, spotting Erica's silhouette, he made a beeline for her.
In between, he noticed her hand draped over the Glock holster.
This woman was definitely trying to tease.
Hawke decided to cut through the tension.
He walked quickly toward her, grabbing her gun-holding hand, "You still got your gun?"
Erica turned her head to face Hawke: "This place is as wild as the wilderness; I'm worried about a wolf attack."
"Wolves are already here." Hawke leaned down to kiss her, his hands finding the tallic clasp of her holster belt, easily releasing it.
They pressed against each other tightly.
After a while, feeling her neck strain, Erica turned away.
Hawke spun her back to face him, about to take things to the next level.
Erica held up both her hands against his chest, still trying to pull back. "Aren't we moving too fast?"
"The pace is just right," Hawke said, ready to work his magic, using the spell nad "How to Quickly Reach a Woman's Heart."
Of course, this spell had to be customized based on the situation -- it wouldn't work on bad girls.
Before long, Hawke began to understand why Brian Ferguson had warned him about his cousin being hard to deal with.
Because Erica had already shown an interest.
...
In the middle of the night, Erica lay sleeping in Hawke's arms when suddenly howls echoed from outside.
Instantly, both opened their eyes and sat up.
Hawke said, "There are coyotes!"
Erica grinned, "I threw out so raw at. I didn't expect them to co!"
Hawke threw on a jacket, ready to head downstairs.
Erica felt a little ache, moving slower than usual, she quietly said, "Leave a few."
Hawke went back and offered a hand, "Want to help you?"
"No need," Erica declined gently, "It's just a small wound."
The two made their way downstairs together.
Hawke took out the Savage rifle, attaching a night vision scope.
Erica was eager to try her hand as well.
Hawke handed her the rifle, saying, "I'll take the AR."
"You're the best," Erica leaned in to kiss him and then went to the open window to set up her rifle.
At the other window, Hawke attached the night vision scope to the AR15 and leaned out.
Erica pointed out where she had tossed the at.
Hawke nodded, catching sight of the coyotes.
There were three coyotes out looking for food, drawn by the raw at Erica had thrown, but they couldn't find a full al.
These greedy creatures were on the lookout for more.
Hawke pointed to the right.
Both shared a silent signal, firing almost simultaneously.
The sound of gunfire seed to echo just once, and two coyotes dropped to the ground.
As Erica racked the bolt, Hawke fired a second shot.
The third coyote, which had been fleeing, dropped after a spray of blood erupted from its head.
Hawke picked up the night vision binoculars, scanning the area, "All clear, let's check it out."
They turned on the lights, picked up their guns, and stepped outside, crossing the clearing to the grass.
The coyotes lay on the ground, releasing a pungent sll. From a distance, they looked sizable, but up close, they were scrawny.
Hawke poked a coyote's head with his rifle, saying, "We should get so pliers tomorrow to pull the fangs. I'll give them to Frank later; that old guy wants gifts."
Erica, enthusiastic about the thought, suggested, "When we hunt a bear, let's get him a dried bear paw."
"Good idea," Hawke replied as he turned back, "We'll deal with it tomorrow."
...
Once inside, neither of them felt sleepy. Erica still felt an ache from her wound and didn't want to do certain things. Instead, they chatted while keeping an eye outside, thinking the scent of blood might draw in more prey.
The gunfire seed to have scared the nearby wildlife, and no other animals ca to receive the fiery embrace of bullets.
Hawke ended up coaxing Erica back upstairs to sleep.
...
When they finally awoke from their slumber, the sun had already risen high.
Erica called out to Hawke, "Get up! We agreed to head into the mountains today."
Hawke glanced at the sun outside: "Looks like good weather. You cook, and I'll deal with the coyote carcasses."
"I used to go through housekeeper training, but it's been a while since I cooked," Erica said as she dressed, "All I can make are the simplest dishes."
Hawke replied, "Just keep it simple."
Dealing with the coyote carcasses was straightforward; Hawke put on gloves and drove the pickup over to pull out the pliers to extract the coyote fangs, tossing the rest of the carcasses into the truck bed and taking them to the woods to dump.
Once he had disposed of the three carcasses, strange sounds suddenly emanated from the woods.
Hawke imdiately readied his AR rifle and pulled out his binoculars to peer into the timber.
Sothing seed to be hunting over there; he could faintly hear mountain lion calls.
But from such a distance, it soon fell silent.
*****
/Sayonara816.
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