>>5792879>>5792887>>5792974>>5792987You really can't help but ask, "...are your testicles okay?" Your question is met with a look of stifled annoyance from the cowboy.
"...yeah. They'll be fine. They've been through worse."
A brief silence lingers between you two.
"Hang on, I don't believe I've ever asked for your name."
The cowboy, perhaps to distract himself from his discomfort, rises and retrieves a new hat from a compartment below, placing it on his head. "You can call me Mr. Soul."
You stifle a chuckle. In fact, you have to physically hold yourself back from letting out a gut laugh.
"Mr. Soul, indeed, that's a rather..." You pause as you catch the cowboy's blank, unamused expression. "...interesting choice. It possesses a certain gravitas, I must say. Has a distinguished ring to it," you continue, attempting to salvage the situation. The cowboy's reaction is inscrutable behind his helmet, but you suspect he might be rolling his eyes. You press on with the conversation, "Very well, Mr. Soul, why indeed are you pursuing COLT? If it's not for a pecuniary motive, what, then, is it?"
The mood inside the shelter suddenly shifts, and the cowboy takes a seat once more. "I'd actually prefer not to talk about it. Let's just say it's related to family." You immediately backtrack.
"Of course, my apologies." The atmosphere becomes awkward, and the relentless storm outside shows no sign of abating. You decide to change the topic, asking, "Any idea who could have purloined my gear?"
The cowboy remains silent for a while before responding, "Well, let's see. There were several other bounty hunters in the bar. It could've been any of them. Again, this is if you didn't lose them yourself, which is still a possibility."
"And I didn't. It has to be someone else," you assert. Silence fills the room again. After a moment, the cowboy, deep in thought, speaks up.
"Maybe it was more than one person?" He looks and presses his hand to his temple. "Think about it. One guy stealing your things in bulk would've been obvious. Walking back and forth to get things one at a time would be too. But, if a group of them walked by, each taking one thing, it would be a lot more conspicuous. But when could someone have—" Then, as if struck by a realization, you both look up at each other in unison.
"The card game!" you exclaim simultaneously.
How will you proceed?
<span class="mu-s">CHOOSE ONE (1).</span>
>"Let's think. Who looked the most suspicious?" (start PLANNING a RETRIEVAL)>"It's probably long gone. Is there any place close by to get new equipment?" (start PLANNING a SHOPPING TRIP)>"Your equipment should be enough for us both. We should get back to finding Colt." (start PLANNING a MANHUNT)>"You do anything for fun?" (engage in SMALL TALK)>"Do you have a bathroom?" (take a BREAK)>"You got anything to eat?" (take a BREAK)>"Give me a minute." (examine your CLOAK)>"Hey, what's that outside?" (examine the SILHOUETTE)---
https://baneofjustin.quest 
