RDR2 AU

[dog_eat_dog]

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[dog_eat_dog]

“Guns,” she replies. No sense hiding it; he’s been honest with her and she can be a little in return. The revolution brewing down there has been working towards a boiling point for decades, and there’s money for Tess and her people in stoking the fires. “There’s a big market. Bigger there than anywhere in America.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Huh."

He sits back and actually considers that. He'd never go into weapons trading, and he sure as hell isn't telling Dutch about this, but it's a surprise that that's what she's doing. That's very dangerous, more risk than he'd take for cash.

"How do you get the weapons across? Donkeys in the mountains?"

[dog_eat_dog]

“Depends on how much we’re moving and the particulars of the time of year,” she replies, smoothly. “It gets easier with the right bribes. Uncle Sam wants Mexico to have guns, after all.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Uncle Sam wants a lot in life he can't normally have," Arthur points out. Usually, from Arthur's perspective, that's 'him and his'.

[dog_eat_dog]

"Uncle Sam wants poor Mexicans to pick up arms they can't get otherwise and become revolutionaries." She leans an elbow on the bar, smiling. "And he has been getting that for years. Whole place is a powder-keg."

[stand_unshaken]

"All need some way to make a living," is all he has to say about that. Not that he minds a gun himself. It just feels strange to traffic them, for this purpose.

He's been a merchant of misery. He knows what that does to a person.

[dog_eat_dog]

"That's the way I see it," she replies. No point in dwelling on something that'll only rob her of sleep and strength, and if she doesn't do it, someone else will anyway. Might as well be her pockets getting lined. "Your gang gets by robbing homesteads?"

[stand_unshaken]

"Homesteads, carriages, trains, banks. Mostly places with lots of money."

Easy pickings, but also, well, they tend to send Pinkertons after them. That's more troublesome.

[dog_eat_dog]

One-time hits. No longstanding relationships. Another world from hers, though one that brushes up close.

"And that's enough for your gang? You've got a lot of mouths to feed."

No judgment, just curious.

[stand_unshaken]

"Used to be just enough. These days..."

He shakes his head, leans an elbow on the bar. "I don't know. Dutch wants to make more money to get us all outta here. Somewhere with not as many rules."

[dog_eat_dog]

"Not exactly predictable income, especially for risk against reward," she replies, thoughtfully. He knows that, of course, but it's worth musing on. She chuckles. "Dutch's got big dreams looking for a place like that. A hundred years ago, maybe, but now? I don't think there's a blade of grass in the world that isn't under some government's boot."

[stand_unshaken]

"I know that, you know that, but he's holdin' out hope. An island somewhere, maybe. Harder to get to, harder to check."

[dog_eat_dog]

She glances him over playfully.

“You gonna get some seaside villa, sun yourself on the beach?”

[stand_unshaken]

"Oh yeah. Quiet life suits me."

He gives her a little grin and shakes his head.

"Knowing us, we'll get there and raise a whole lotta hell."

[dog_eat_dog]

“Poor locals won’t know what hit ‘em. I bet life gets more expensive out there, though. Every bullet has to be imported. Every little convenience, too.”

[stand_unshaken]

"What kind of conveniences would you be missing, Miss Tess?"

[dog_eat_dog]

“I like never being further than a day or two’s ride from being able to buy supplies, for one,” she replies. “The mail. And hell, every time you want to have a drink, you gotta weigh whether the time it takes to get it is even worth it.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Who should I be sending mail to out there?"

He shakes his head.

"Make my own hooch, get some pigs, some chickens. Maybe. Maybe."

No. He couldn't. But he's been telling himself otherwise for years.

[dog_eat_dog]

“Gotta get all the supplies for hooch,” she points out. “I’m not saying it’s a bad idea overall. I just prefer to work on my projects than basic survival.”

[stand_unshaken]

"What kinda projects would you be gettin' into if not the one you're already involved in?"

[dog_eat_dog]

“More guns. Mexico’s been a nightmare for longer than either of us have been alive, but if it finally goes belly up someday, I want another place. Wherever else America is going to war with.”

[stand_unshaken]

"Why the guns? Why's that your trade of choice, huh?"

[dog_eat_dog]

That isn't a question she's been asked too much or too often. She takes a swig of her drink to buy herself a second to think, to word it.

"Higher value, less competition," she replies. "A gun's specialized, not just anyone can start making them in their cellar... and they get better every year. Last year's buyers come back when their enemies suddenly have more firepower. I figure if I'm gonna hang someday, it shouldn't be for something petty."

[stand_unshaken]

He rests an elbow on the bar, looking at her as she talks. He understands all of what she's saying, even if he's never getting into this trade willingly if it's up to him - but that last part's shocking, coming from a woman's mouth.

"You really figure that's gonna be the end of you?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"They may not execute women much, but there's not a lot of women in this line of work, either, let alone women leading it," she replies. She's almost a little flippant about it; death's going to come for her eventually. It comes for everyone in this life, and much sooner than anyone ever expects. "I'm sure I'll get shot at plenty of times before then, and get punched, and be thrown by horses, but if I'm going to die, it sure as shit will be worthy of the work I've done."