4 Ch5: First Encounter.

[ Unknown POV ]

Dangerous.

As I gazed upon the harrowing scene before me, that word was the only thought that crossed my mind. My wife and I had been on a journey up north, and I had anticipated a rather uneventful trip. But fate had other plans in store for us.

While passing the Little creek river, northwest of strawberry, we witnessed a spectacle that left us breathless - a lone man battling a pack of twelve vicious wolves, armed with nothing but a pair of unique knives.

The man's movements were so swift and precise that my eyes could scarcely keep up. He fought like a wild animal, a lion perhaps, or something even more fearsome. The sight was both thrilling and terrifying, and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

My senses were heightened as the sound of the man's blades slicing through the air reached my ears. The sight of him taking down one wolf after another was both captivating and chilling.

As I watched the battle unfold, I couldn't help but reflect on the events that had led us here. When we first heard the wolves' howls, my first instinct was to grab my gun and prepare for the worst. But when we saw that they were preoccupied with hunting a pair of pronghorns, my wife and I breathed a sigh of relief.

However, our sense of security was short-lived. In my peripheral vision, I noticed a man on horseback dressed in attire fit for a high society city like Saint Denis, wielding a rifle the likes of which I had never seen in my sixty-eight years of life.

He took aim at the pronghorns and fired, but instead of the sound of gunfire like usual, we just heard a low bang, and one of the pronghorns was instantly killed and limped to the ground. causing the wolves to turn their attention towards him.

My wife almost let out a scream, to warn the man of the impending danger, but I held her back, fearing that the wolves would turn their attention to us instead.

We watched in terror as the lone man instead of running, he gets down from his horse and take out two unique knives I have never seen before. I could feel my wife trembling beside me, her eyes wide with terror.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I laid eyes upon the lone man, his pair of unique knives unsheathed, he move forward, battling against twelve wolves.

Alone.

His knives glinted in the moonlight, his movements so fluid and precise that it seemed like he was dancing with the beasts.

At that moment, I knew that I was witnessing something truly remarkable, something that would stay with me for the rest of my days.

But our stunned silence was abruptly shattered when the lone man, with his deadly knives still in hand, tilted his head and fixed his gaze upon us. My heart raced with fear as I felt his piercing eyes bore into mine, and I was certain that he could see right through me, reading every thought and emotion.

"Bessie, dear, follow my lead," I whispered urgently to my wife, hoping to quell her rising panic. Summoning every ounce of courage I had, I stepped down from the coach and slowly raised my hand, inching forward with caution. My heart pounded in my chest as I moved closer to the man, acutely aware of the danger that lurked around us.

But then, to my great surprise, he lowered his knives and seemed to relax a little, though his intense gaze never wavered. looking closely,

I was kinda shocked as his face was younger than I imagine, maybe twenty-five to thirty more or less. even though he was younger than me, yet, there was a fierce determination in his eyes that commanded respect.

"Hossea Matthews! What are you doing!?" My wife's voice rose in alarm, almost like a scream, and I could feel her fear radiating off of her.

"Please, my dear, stay composed and don't even consider reaching for your gun. I'll handle this," I replied urgently, my hands still raised in the air as I edged closer to the man. I could sense his watchful eye on me and my wife. I felt as though I was walking on thin ice.

Finally, I stood before him, and his gaze bore into mine like a searing flame. For a moment, there was a tense silence between us, and I wondered what he would do next. But then, to my great relief, he spoke, his voice low and steady.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

***

[ John Wick POV ]

My eyes remained fixed on the man before me, a glint of suspicion in my gaze. "Who are you, and what do you want?" I asked, my voice low and steady. Despite the pounding heart I could hear from him, he replied with a calm tone,

"We mean you no harm. My wife and I were just passing through when we saw you fighting those wolves. We were in awe of your bravery and wanted to offer our help."

I took a moment to ponder his words, carefully considering whether I should accept their offer. As I weighed the pros and cons in my mind, I couldn't help but take note of the couple's appearance.

The man had white hair and an aged face, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, and he and his wife were traveling alone on this rainy night, near midnight. I couldn't help but think of the siblings still resting, their wounded condition making them vulnerable to the cold. Perhaps this couple had something that could help.

After a lengthy pause, I nodded in agreement. "Sure," I said, noting the look of shock on the man's face. "But don't try me," I warned, earning a quick nod of understanding from him.

"I wouldn't dare," he assured me, offering his hand in greeting. "Hossea Matthews, and that's my wife, Bessie."

I took a moment to look at his outstretched hand before sheathing my knives and firmly grasping it. "Wick, John Wick," I introduced myself in return.

"Ah, nice to meet you, John. So, what help do you need?" he asked with a slightly surprised expression.

"I need some clothes if you have any, and if you don't mind taking some of these wolves to my place," I replied while putting the pronghorn on Nyx's back.

"Sure, lead the way," he answered with a smile, walking towards his coach. "Bessie, dear, change of plans," I heard him say as he spoke to his wife, even though his voice was quite low.

With me taking the lead, we made our way back to the wooden house, filled with silence as neither of us talked. Besides, the rain was still pouring ever so slightly, making me not in the mood to start a conversation.

Not long after, we reached our destination. I hitched Nyx to the tree and put the pronghorn on my shoulders. Walking towards the house, the old man, Hossea, broke the silence with a question.

"So, do you live alone here, John?" his voice mixed with the noisy rain surrounding us. "No, it's not mine," I replied shortly while putting down the carcass on the ground. I stepped towards the door and knocked lightly.

"Girl, it's me," I said.

A second later, the wooden door opened with a slight creaking sound. The girl could be seen peeking out her little head outside.

"Welcome back, sir!" her voice slightly rising with a little smile on her face, only to change to worry the second she looked behind me, noticing the old man, Hossea, and his wife.

"Don't worry, they are here to help," I said with a reassuring voice. Even though I said that, I never let down my guard since the beginning. And so far, the old couple only argued a little about their changes of plans. Apparently, his wife was somewhat afraid of me.

After the girl heard me, she opened the door, moving to the side as we walked in. The sound of rain still echoed outside, creating a peaceful and calming atmosphere within the house.

"How's your brother?" I asked with concern as I slowly broke a wooden chair and threw it into the fireplace, lighting up the flames.

The girl's hopeful voice responded, "Brother still sleeping, will he be o-okay sir?" I continued the conversation by asking about her brother's condition. "Is his body hot?" I inquired, and the girl ran with her tiny legs to check on him. "W-wait a minute," she replied, leaving to attend to her brother.

After a brief moment, she returned with an answer, "No sir, it's warm." I reassured her, "Then he would be okay." The warmth of the fire and the sound of the rain created a soothing ambiance, bringing a sense of peace to the house.

Walking toward the table, my attention shifted to the elderly couple, Hossea and his wife. "So here's the deal," I said, placing a glinting gold bar and my handgun on the table, eliciting a quiet gasp from the little girl and a wide-eyed look from the old couple.

"I want information. You give me what I want, and this gold bar is all yours," I stated calmly, nudging the bar towards them. "Or try me, and you won't like the consequences," I added, placing my left hand atop my handgun.

"Don't beat around the bush. Your clean revolvers, pristine clothes, calloused thumb, and the strong lingering scent of gunpowder on your hand when we shook hands earlier. you're not an ordinary old couple." I continued, a second before he open his mouth. making him close it again.

I paused, allowing the weight of my words to sink in. "So, which one is it?" I asked, my eyes locked on Hossea's face. I noticed a slight bead of sweat on his forehead and the nervous movements of his neck. His eyes flicked nervously between the gold bar, my handgun, and me. But, surprisingly, he still managed to keep his composure.

"Don't even try to lie to me," I warned, my voice hardening. "I know when someone's lying."

For a moment, there was silence in the room as Hossea struggled to form his words. Finally, he spoke up. "What information do you want?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Before that, here," I tossed a continental gold coin towards Hossea, who caught it with a confused expression. Seeing the lack of response when seeing the logo, I noticed he didn't seem to know about continentals, leading me to believe that either there were no continentals in this version of Earth or he simply didn't know.

"That's for the clothing, food, and trouble for helping me bring that wolf's carcass here," I explained before adding, "That's a gold coin," causing his eyes to widen slightly.

"Which part of the country are we in right now?" I asked, my senses still focused on his heartbeat, which reverberated through his hand to the wooden table.

"We are in West Elizabeth, in the United States of America," he replied, though I could see he was weirded out by my question. Wondering where West Elizabeth was, I shot him another question.

"Do you have the newest newspaper and a map with you?" I asked. He gave me a nod and started rummaging through his bag before handing them to me. As I read the newspaper, I saw that the year was 1890.

'It's too different,' I thought to myself as I examined the map in front of me. I felt doubtful about my plan to at least stop World War I or II. 'West Elizabeth, New Hanover, Ambarino, Lemoyne, and New Austin. I am familiar with these names, but it's like many parts of the United States crammed into one.'

"Do you have a spare?" I asked. "I have one. You can have that one," he said, still looking at me with a strange expression as I held the map in my hand.

"How about a Businessman, is there someone that has power over the economy in this region? I Inquired, my eyes still examining the map bit by bit

"Businessman? what do you mean?" responded Hossea with a confused face. I added, "Someone that has control over oil, food, transportation for example."

Hossea scratched his chin thoughtfully before responding. "Ah, about that not much. But I heard that a man name Cornwall has been active lately, he's a wealthy man from the East who's been trying to buy up land for oil. He's made a lot of enemies around New Hanover, that's for sure."

I nodded, taking in the information. It seemed like this Cornwall character could be the key to understanding the local economy and power structure. I made a mental note to investigate further.

"Education and medical care seem to be a luxury for the people here," I observed, studying the map with a sense of concern. "What about the neighboring regions? Are they any better off?" I pointed towards New Austin, New Hanover, Ambarino, and Lemoyne.

Hossea shook his head slowly. "It's hard to say. As for education, most people in this state are illiterate. And when it comes to medical care, doctors are scarce, and people often have to rely on the plants and herbs they find in the wilderness to cure their ailments." he added "I think Saint Denis is in a far more better situation, then the others region."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The lack of education and proper healthcare would undoubtedly hinder the progress and development of the region.

"How about outlaws, are there any gangs that control West Elizabeth?" I continue. Surprisingly, when I mentioned the word 'gangs,' both he and his wife flinched slightly. 'Ah, I see,' I thought to myself.

But my amusement was short-lived when Anna spoke up timidly, answering my question. "I-it's the Del Lobo gang, sir. They're the ones who kidnapped me and s-shot my brother!" She clenched her dirty dress tightly, her voice rising at the end of her sentence.

"Do you know where their base is?" I asked, and Anna nodded vigorously in response. Bessie chimed in with an astute observation, "If I'm not mistaken, they have many young children among their members." She cast a sympathetic glance at Anna, who looked visibly pained by the mention of the children.

"T-they don't have any choice, as those scumbags forced us," a young voice reach our ears as four of us looked at the source, only seeing the boy that getting shot this afternoon, trying to get up from the bed. holding his shoulder with a slight winch expression.

"Brother!" shout Anna while she runs toward him with all the might her tiny legs can muster. "It's okay Anna, I'm here, don't cry," said the boy softly while hugging his sobbing sister.

"How are you feeling now?" I inquired, my gaze softening as I looked at the young boy standing before me, holding his wounded shoulder.

"It's better now, just a little dizzy. Thank you, sir," he replied, offering me a grateful smile. "I heard from my sister that you saved us from those scum and helped us tend our wounds."

His sister Anna chimed in with tearful thanks, and I nodded in acknowledgment before turning back to the boy. "I just did what I had to do."

With a heavy sigh, I refocused on the task at hand. "So, can you tell me how many children are forced to work for the Del Lobo gang?"

"You can call me Sam, sir," he replied. "There are around twenty-five, more or less," his expression solemn as he spoke of the unfortunate circumstances of these young individuals

"And how many members does the Del Lobo gang have?" I asked, trying to get a sense of the scale of the problem.

As Sam starts to answer my question, I noticed the exhaustion on his face. He's been through a lot today, and I can see the pain still etched in his eyes. "It's difficult to say, sir. They have many members scattered throughout the region, and they're always recruiting," he said, his voice faltering a bit.

Bessie interjects, "They're a dangerous group, known for their brutality and cunning. They've been terrorizing the area for years now."

I nod, taking in the information. "Do you know where their main base is located?"

Sam shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir. They never took us to their main base. We have always moved around, from one location to another. But we believe their main base is in Mexico. The latest side branch I knew is at the Hanging Dog's Ranch."

"How many gang members do you think are occupying the ranch right now?" I leaned in, listening attentively to Sam's response.

"I'd say around fifty, sir," he replied, wincing as he held his injured shoulder.

"Fifty?" I muttered under my breath, my mind racing with possible strategies to take down such a sizable gang. "Do they have any notable leaders or figures?" I asked, hoping for some useful information.

Sam shook his head. "Not really, sir. They're a bunch of lowlifes who think they can do whatever they want."

"Well, we'll see about that," I said, as a plan began to take shape in my mind.

Bessie and Hossea looked at me with concern, but I ignored it. I knew what I had to do, and I wouldn't let anyone stand in my way.

As I tapped my finger on the table, lost in thought, I realized how difficult it would be to eradicate these gang members, let alone their main base. But I had a feeling that I would have to face them sooner or later. Once I had finished cleaning up the ranch, I could make it my starting foothold.

"Thank you for the information, Sam," I said. "You two eat first, then you can go back to sleep and rest. You too, Anna." With a nod, both of them huddled back into the bed to rest their tired bodies, with cans of food in their hands.

"First things first," I muttered under my breath, "I need to find a place to cash out some of my capital."

"What capital?" Hossea asked, looking at me with a quizzical expression.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," I replied, standing up from my seat, holstering my gun, and heading towards the door. I needed to skin the wolves and pronghorn carcasses from earlier, but I also needed some time to think about my next move.

"You two can sleep wherever you want, I'll stay outside for a bit," I said, closing the door behind me. Their puzzled expressions didn't faze me as I stepped outside into the cool night air, follow by the little wolf pup, Daisy. who followed me obediently.

As the rain already died down, the stars were out in full force, twinkling like diamonds in the sky. The moon was just a sliver, barely illuminating my surroundings, but it was enough for me to see the task at hand. I approached the carcasses, pulled out my knife, and got to work.

***

[ Bessie POV ]

Our journey back to North Elizabeth was anything but ordinary. We had set out from Strawberry, content after Hossea's successful scamming of a few unsuspecting individuals. However, our peaceful journey was soon disrupted when we stumbled upon a man fighting off twelve ferocious wolves alone in the middle of a rainy night.

At first, I was afraid of the man, and now I am still afraid, somewhat. but after looking at his gentle expression when looking at those two children. I can't help but die down my fear a little.

And my fear changed again to shock as the man who look no older than twenty-eight put down a gold bar in front of us, Hossea more especially as I just stay behind him, listening in to their conversations.

He wants Information from us. I wonder why he asked us, an old couple for information, he even offer a gold bar for it. that's $500 cash more or less. I couldn't fathom why he would offer such a large sum of money.

Yet again, his words shocked me. He's smart. Keen is the more correct word for him I think. He can guess that I and Hossea are not quite an ordinary old couple with just a mere handshake.

His observation is terrifying, to say the least. The man's observation skills were both impressive and intimidating, leaving me wondering who he truly was. It was as if he possessed a sixth sense or an innate ability to read people with ease.

I couldn't help but be curious about the stranger's true identity and his motives for seeking information from us. Just who he is exactly.