A Series.
Riggs spat out the side of the buggy, sand whipping into his face. He believed he had guessed right and should be nearing whatever Valroth was within an hour or less. His buggy was laden with supplies and weapons raided from Bandit Clan. Riggs couldn’t get the image of Gorganas out of his mind. The brute had him yet somehow Riggs had made it out. Riggs started to smile but then winced. The wounds from Gorganas’s unholy weapon still stung, particularly the one on his cheek. “That will scar,” muttered Riggs to himself, gingerly touching his face.
Cresting a high dune, Riggs saw a shape rising from the desert in the distance. As he approached, he made out a large city. The entire city seemed to be made of scrap metal and rust, yet was immense. Riggs drove along and hit a road that led toward what appeared to be the front gates of the city. A few other cars were making their way in and out of the city. The drivers passed by Riggs without paying much attention to the beat-up vagabond. Riggs slowed as he entered the city. The buildings seemed to meld together in one giant heap of scrap metal, which somehow ended up resembling a city. Riggs looked around at the occupants of the city. Beggars, thieves, and various lowlifes was what he surmised. He saw a garage off the road and pulled in. A short, dirty man wearing goggles and filthy rags walked up to Riggs, eying his buggy. “What can I do for you?” asked the man.
“You got a place I can keep my buggy for a bit?” inquired Riggs.
The man nodded.
“And keep it safe,” finished Riggs.
The man looked up at Riggs feigning offense, but it did not affect Riggs. “Yeah, I can keep it safe.”
“Alright then, how much for the night?”
“Well, ten scrips or whatever you have to trade.”
Riggs reached behind him and rummaged through his pilfered goods. “Here,” he said, handing the man some machinery parts, “that good?” The man nodded slowly and pointed Riggs to where he could park his buggy. Riggs pulled the buggy in and exited. “Where can I trade in some of my goods for scrip?” asked Riggs.
“I have a man that’ll do it for you. He’s always close by. I’ll get him.”
“Alright but if I find you cheated me, I’ll kill you and your friend.”
The man nodded quickly and ran off. Riggs turned to his goods, counting what he would need and what he would trade for scrip. he began piling up all he wanted to trade outside the buggy and placing the rest in the front seat. The man returned with his friend. After trading, Riggs was pointed to a local tavern and went on his way.
Riggs looked up at the rotting wooden sign placed above the two-story corroded building which read “The Rusty Spoon.”
“What the hell?” thought Riggs, walking into the establishment. A few patrons stood lazily around the tables toward the front and the proprietor waved to Riggs from behind the bar. “Room for the night” said Riggs. He exchanged money with the owner and went to check out his lodgings for the night. There was a skinny hallway with four doors along its side and one at the end. Riggs went to door number four and inserted the key. The room contained a small dresser that was rotting and a bed that looked sturdy, with relatively fresh bedding compared to what he had seen of the city so far.
Riggs heard a knock at the door and turned to open it. There stood a large man with a pistol at his side. “No rifles, si,r” said the man, pointing to Riggs’ repeater.
“Excuse me?” asked Riggs.
“Rifles are to be kept downstairs. Sidearm only.”
“Why?”
“It’s the rules, sir,” said the man, annoyed.
Riggs looked to his rifle and then back at the man. “Better be there in the morning.”
“It will be, I make sure of that.” Riggs picked up his rifle, looking it over before handing it to the man. “Thank you sir,” said the man, disappearing from the doorway. Riggs stepped out into the hallway and watched the man descend down the stairs. Riggs shook his head and returned to organizing his stuff.
Everything in order, Riggs walked down to the bottom floor. There, standing near the door looking out, was a shapely blonde woman. Sensing his eyes on her the woman turned around. Riggs made eye contact with her and she smiled. He began walking over to her when two men stood up in front of him. “What’s the issue?” growled Riggs.
The man to Riggs’ right smiled and started laughing. “Heard you’ve got quite a bit of goods on you…” started the man.
Riggs sighed and reached for the knife he kept at his side. “Get out of my way or I’ll gut you, son,” threatened Riggs. The man’s face turned white and he sat back down. Riggs glanced over at his companion who did the same. Riggs laughed shaking his head. His gaze went back to where the woman had been but she had gone. “Son of a bitch,” muttered Riggs, looking back at the two men. He walked over to the bar, waving the owner over. “Any place to go after hours here?” asked Riggs.
The owner looked Riggs up and down. “You look a bit roughed up. Perhaps you’d better see the local physician.” The owner pointed across the street to a rundown shack, where a man sat outside, adorned with a faded doctor’s smock.
Riggs began laughing. “Pretty sure I’ll find better medicine behind this counter.”
The owner shrugged. “Not sure what you’re about getting into friend, but Valroth can be a very bad place for people who aren’t used to the kinds of people we have around here.”
“I’m plenty used to scum,” replied Riggs. A couple patrons eyed Riggs after his statement.
The owner nodded. “That’s not exactly what I meant, but you seem like you can handle yourself alright. There a bar down on the left side of the street called Joe’s or something. It’s actually a pretty classy establishment… well, considering we’re in Valroth.”
“Joe’s? Alright I’ll check it out but until then, mind giving me a drink?”
“Not at all” replied the owner, reaching for his whiskey.
Riggs gained a couple friends in his few hours drinking at The Rusty Spoon. Together they headed over to Joe’s. Walking in, Riggs’ friends left him at the bar for a moment to greet some people they knew. Riggs ordered another whiskey, not wanting to get too drunk in an unknown city. He looked around the small establishment, taking note of the patrons. Riggs settled against the bar and watched the door. He saw the woman from before walk in, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see a short brunette woman smiling at him. “How are you?” she cooed.
“Get off me,” replied Riggs.
The women’s face scrunched up and she flipped Riggs off and walked away. “Asshole,” she called out, returning to her table. Riggs smirked. Riggs noticed the woman from The Rusty Spoon smiling, having seen the whole exchange. Riggs nodded to her. She smiled and sauntered over next to Riggs.
“New in town?” she asked.
“Yeah. Riggs,” replied Riggs.
“Valeria,” replied the woman.
“Nice to meet you, Valeria.”
“Same.” Riggs’ friends from the bar looked up to see him with Valeria. One of them waved and smiled. Riggs returned the wave. “Friends of yours?” asked Valeria.
“Acquaintances,” replied Riggs.
“Hmmm.”
“Something wrong?”
“Can’t say I’d trust those two.”
“Well I don’t… and why would you say that?”
“They’ve been known to shake down out-of-towners.”
“Shake down?”
“Beat and rob.”
“Ah.” Riggs reached for his revolver.
“Wait,” Valeria’s eyes widened as her hands shot out to Riggs, attempting to restrain him.
“What?”
“You can’t just shoot someone here.”
“Really?”
Valeria’s nose wrinkled. “What do you mean really?”
“There no way there’s law here.”
“But there is.”
“You have officers here?”
“Well no, but the city is still run, if not by the mayor and his officers.”
“By whom?”
“The crime lords.”
“Crime lords?”
“Yes, there’s four of them and they run everything that happens in the city.”
“All together?”
“No. Four separate gangs. They mostly keep to their respective parts of the city but they keep order… in a way.”
Riggs nodded. “Well, thanks for the warning… what’s the penalty for shooting someone?”
“Well that depends on who it is.”
“Alright, those two,” said Riggs, pointing to his two companions.
Valeria looked over at them. “Well I’m not sure. The one on the right… nothing. But the other, I’m pretty sure he’s a rat for one of the lords.”
Riggs scoffed. “They protect rats?”
“If it’s their rats then yes.”
Riggs nodded .“How did you end up in a city like this?”
They talked as they finished their drinks. When they left Joe’s together, the two who came in with Riggs followed them. As they reached the entrance to The Rusty Spoon, Riggs leaned into Valeria. “What’s the deal with self-defense?”
Valeria eyes widened. “As long as they’re not high up in the crime lord’s ranks… you’ll be fine. About the only good thing that worthless mayor kept us, the people.”
Riggs handed her his key. “Go to my room. I’ll be up in a bit.” Valeria bit her lip, looking worried. “Go,” ordered Riggs. Valeria slipped into The Rusty Spoon as Riggs turned to the men following them. “Early night?” inquired Riggs. The two smiled but Riggs sensed something amiss in their eyes. “What’s wrong?” asked Riggs, trying to sound amiable.
“Nothing… we just thought your new friend might have said some things about us.”
Riggs looked perplexed. “About you? No, she didn’t mention anything about you two. Why? You know her?”
“No.”
“Oh,” Riggs nodded, nearing the lead man. The man’s eyes and Riggs’ locked. Riggs shot out with his knife, burying it into the man’s throat. The other had his knife out and charged Riggs. Riggs wrenched his knife out of the assailant’s neck and struck out, burying it into his companion’s chest. Blood spurted out onto Riggs. Riggs finished with a couple more strikes to each of the men respectively. His work finished, Riggs dragged their bodies down an alleyway and then began washing up with a hose on the side of the building. Finished, he returned to his room and Valeria.
Riggs woke to the sound of shots being fired outside. He groaned, rolling over. “It’s probably just the crime lords having a dispute. They’ve been fighting more and more,” said Valeria.
“Stay in bed.”
Valeria reached over, pulling Riggs back towards her. Riggs sighed and lay back down.
“You get used to the sound of gunfire, living here.”
“Is that right?” replied Riggs absentmindedly.
“Yeah.”
Riggs was soon back fast asleep. He awoke again this time to Valeria pacing nervously around the room. “What’s wrong?” asked Riggs sleepily.
“I don’t know. I think something might be happening,” said Valeria.
Riggs heard the sound of more gunfire. He slowly rose up sat on the bed. He walked put on his pants and shirt then retrieved his belt with his knife and revolver. “Let’s hope they still have my rifle downstairs.” He was cut off by the sound of gunfire echoing through the room. Valeria’s eyes widened. “Stay here,” replied Riggs, stepping out into the hallway. He slowly made his way to the stairs. Down by the bar was the proprietor laid out, a pool of blood collecting by his head. Out around the bar were other bodies of patrons Riggs recognized, as well as some he did not. Outside, people ran hurriedly through the streets as more gunfire sounded off. Riggs went to retrieve his rifle but found the man dead and the rifles gone. “Dammit” he cursed, returning up the stairs to Valeria. “Rifle’s gone,” muttered Riggs, returning through the door.
“What’s happening?” asked Valeria.
“Something’s broke out. Whole city seems to be up in arms.”
“This must have something to do with the crime lords.”
“Perhaps, we can grab my buggy and… well not sure where we would go.”
“I know a place.”
“Then let’s go.”
Riggs and Valeria cautiously made their way out onto the streets. The city was filled with chaos. The bodies lined the streets, civilians were running here and there for their lives, and looters were pillaging what they could. Riggs kept his revolver at the ready, warding off any who might mistake him for an easy target.
Down at the end of the street, two cars whizzed around the corner and careened towards them. Riggs pushed Valeria to the side and followed her. The cars flew past, armed men hanging out of the sides. “Those are crime lord cars. They only come out when they war.”
Riggs entered the garage, not expecting much. The owner was laid out in the middle of the garage, his head caved in and tire marks across his body. “The cars are all gone,” said Valeria.
“Any idea where I can get a vehicle?”
“No,” replied Valeria sheepishly. Riggs and Valeria stepped back onto the street. Down the path was a brown vehicle being followed by one the crime lord’s cars. The crime lord goons shot up the vehicle, causing it to crash into the side of a building. Stopping, the goons lobbed an explosive into the car and drove off. The car went up in a ball of flame, consuming anyone left alive inside. “They control the streets anyways, we could never escape in a vehicle,” said Valeria.
“Well, we won’t be walking from here.” Riggs turned back towards the center of the city.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get me a vehicle,” replied Riggs.
Riggs slammed his hand against the steering wheel. “Pointless, shot beyond repair.” Riggs stepped out of the crashed car, grunting. Valeria crouched by the wheel well of the car, holding onto the knife Riggs had given her, taken from the deceased occupants of the car. Riggs heard the sound of a motor revving down the street. Riggs stepped out into the middle of the roar and saw a car heading toward them. Riggs lowered his revolver and fired. The bullet struck through the windshield, killing the driver. The car shot off the road, crashing through old rickety wooden stalls, finally smashing into some boxes of cargo. Riggs raced over to the vehicle and tested it. He smiled, “it runs.”
Riggs turned around. Three men stood there, one holding Valeria with a knife to her neck. Another taller one, with a dark leather jacket, stood nearer to Riggs with the third standing behind Valeria’s captor. “The car or the girl,” demanded the closest bandit.
“Ain’t my girl,” replied Riggs. Valeria’s mouth dropped open. The bandits looked at one another, unsure of how to proceed. “Tell you what, throw her in, give me a ride and when we get to safety you can keep the car and the girl… fair?” Riggs’ eye went to each bandit in turn.
The closest bandit nodded. “Sure…put her in the back” The other two seized Valeria and dragged her to the backseat of the car. The closest bandit continued to stare at Riggs, keeping his knife at the ready. “Back away from the car.” Riggs obeyed, stepping a few feet from the driver’s side. The thug crossed Riggs, still watching him, and placed his hands on the steering wheel. “Get it,” said the driver to the other two.
As the second one walked by, Riggs grabbed him and removed his revolver. He fired a shot, killing the driver. Whipping around his arm, still firmly locked around the bandit’s neck, he took aim at his companion. The man dropped his knife and raised his hands. Riggs fired, killing the man. Riggs shoved the final bandit forward and shot him. Then he ejected the spent cartridges and reloaded from the ammunition he kept at his waist. Valeria sat shocked in the backseat. “Let’s go,” said Riggs, tossing the body out onto the pavement and climbing into the driver’s seat.
Riggs took the car out onto the main road and headed towards the entrance to the city. Riggs ducked as a bullet cut through the windshield to his right. Riggs looked in the rearview mirror to see two crime lord cars after them. Though these were the same make as the ones they had seen before, these had different coloring on them. Ahead, another crime lord car pulled in front of them. Riggs turned sharply on the only available road, heading towards the center of Valroth. He cringed as more bullet hissed by him, increasing his speed. He handed his revolver to Valeria. “Shoot back.” Valeria turned towards the back of the car, trying to aim the gun. She fired but the bullet shot out the side of the car. Riggs reached his hand back. “Give it to me.”
“It’s too damn bumpy,” retorted Valeria. Riggs placed the revolver back in its holster. The center of the city came into view where a large crowd had gathered. A few rioters spilled out towards Riggs. Riggs pressed down on the accelerator, driving over them. He felt the car lose control as one of the crime lord’s goons shot out one of the tires. Riggs slammed on the brakes as the car crashed through stalls and people, hitting the side of a building. Riggs, in pain and groggy, opened the door, yanking Valeria out with him. He crashed amid the boxes and rubble as the crime lord cars pulled up behind them. The crime lord thugs started filling the car with bullets. Riggs slunk away with Valeria in tow.
After getting safely away from the crime lord thugs, Riggs removed his pistol and stood up. Around him, men were fighting one another for scraps of gold, jewelry, and weapons. Riggs spotted a small building in the center of the town, largely ignored by the rioters surrounding them. “With me,” urged Riggs, running toward the building. Riggs brandished his revolver any time a looter drew near to them. They made it to the building and hunkered down inside.
“What are we going to do?” asked Valeria.
“Stay here until we find a way out,” replied Riggs. A crime lord car crashed in through the crowd. A couple looters jumped at it but were smashed against the car’s bumper. The car smashed against a mass of people and lurched, crashing into a building. The mob immediately descended on the car, eviscerating the thugs inside like ants on a morsel of food. A shot rang out. The crowd turned to the source and then stopped their attack. Something had quieted the mob’s bloodlust. “Come,” said Riggs, grabbing Valeria’s hand and walking toward whatever the source of the gunshot was.
Two men walked apart from the crowd. The leading one was a slight man wearing a robe in the same colors as the car. Behind him walked a large goon with an assault rifle. No one in the crowd would make eye contact with the man. Riggs took a place at the front of the crowd, to watch the spectacle unfold. “Who dares take one of my cars?” challenged the man.
“That’s Quon-Shi, one of the crime lords,” gasped Valeria.
“Who will answer for this?” asked Quon-Shi rhetorically. “You.” Quon-Shi pointed to one in the mob who had blood on his hands. “I saw you tear the throat from one of my men… step forth.” The man stepped forward with downcast eyes. Quon-Shi gave a flick of his wrist and the man with the assault rifle fired into the man’s chest. Quon-Shi went down the line picking out seven more men, who all went without question and were executed.
“If we go back the way we came using that car,” Riggs indicated to the still-operating crime lord car, “we might have a chance of getting out of here.”
Valeria looked at Riggs. “You’re crazy, that’s Quon-Shi’s property.”
“I really don’t give a damn about Quon-Shi,” replied Riggs.
“Quiet, someone in the crowd might hear you,” begged Valeria.
Riggs stepped forward out of the mass of the crowd. Quon-Shi looked up at Riggs, surprise on his face. The man behind Quon-Shi looked to his master as to what he should do. “We should leave,” whispered Valeria, tugging lightly on Riggs’ arm.
“A mistake,” said Quon-Shi.
Riggs drew his revolver and fired it, striking down the large man. The man fell, the assault rifle clattering at his feet. “Don’t move,” warned Riggs, advancing toward Quon-Shi.
Quon-Shi stood slack-jawed and shocked. Regaining his composure, Quon-Shi began a tirade “Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?” Quon-Shi’s voice rose to a shrill scream.
“Really don’t care. Now…” Riggs reached out and grabbed Quon-Shi, “you’re staying with me to keep this crowd at bay… any of them move and you die.”
“If you kill me, nothing will keep them from tearing you limb from limb.”
“Nope.” Riggs eyes narrowed staring down in Quon-Shi’s. The three got into the vehicle and started toward the exit. The crowd had stood transfixed the entire time. Once they were a ways from the crowd, Riggs turned to Quon-Shi. “No interest in killing you nor do I have any use for you,” stated Riggs.
Quon-Shi’s eyebrows raised. “And?”
Riggs opened the door and pushed the crime lord out of the moving car. Quon-Shi rolled along the street, finally settling after a few tumbles.
Riggs heard Quon-Shi’s voice break through on the car’s radio reporting what had happened. “We should have company soon,” said Riggs. Two crime lord cars stood at either side of the exit to the city. Increasing his speed and readying his pistol, Riggs flew by the two cars, hunkering low to conceal his face. However the two cars turned out and began picking up speed, following Riggs. The familiar sounds of bullets hissing by filled Riggs’ ears.
“We can’t shake them in the desert,” said Valeria. Riggs slammed on the breaks and took a tight turn. He raised his pistol at the window and fired. The bullet smashed through the windshield of the nearest car but hit no one. Riggs fired again at the car’s rear hoping to strike a tire but to no avail. The other car turned, trying to cut Riggs off. Riggs fired, striking the passenger who fell against the driver. Riggs’ car darted by the crime lord car, trying to ram him. Riggs straightened out his path and headed back towards the city. The two crime lord cars continued their pursuit, lining up with Riggs. More bullets smacked into the rear of the car causing Riggs to take another sharp turn, aligning himself with the pursuers. Bullets shattered the windshield and the seat next to him was shot up. Riggs took his hands off the steering wheel and aimed, firing at one of the tires. The tire was hit and the crime lord car spun out of control on the dunes.
Riggs sped as fast as he could away from the city, now with only one pursuer. Riggs handed the revolver to Valeria. “Return fire,” he ordered. Valeria raised herself against the back of the seat and took aim. The back of the car was hit causing her to duck down in the seat. Looking back up, she raised the revolver and fired twice. The bullet struck into the front of the car but did no obvious damage. “Reload,” said Riggs, handing Valeria the pouch with ammunition. Valeria slowly but surely reloaded the revolver. “Hand it back.” Valeria handed the revolver to Riggs.
Riggs took the car for one final turn. The goons now aimed at the tires of Riggs’ car, having learned something. He took aim at the driver and fired, the bullet crashed through the windshield killing the driver, but Riggs tires were hit as well. The car slid to a stop. Riggs quickly got out and fired at the idle crime lord car. He heard a yell as one of his bullets struck true. “Hurry,” said Riggs to Valeria. Riggs kept his revolver trained on the car, knowing there was at least one more bandit inside. Reaching the car, Riggs lowered himself to a crouch. He opened the car door and leapt back. A bandit leapt out of the car, swinging his knife wildly about him. Riggs raised his revolver and fired. The man was struck in the ribs and slammed against the open car door. Still going, he turned to Riggs and lurched towards him, his knife brandished. Riggs rolled, dodging the blow. Quickly rising to his feet, Riggs put two more shots into the man, finally ending him. Riggs threw the bodies into the desert and took control of the car. “Where are we going?” he asked Valeria, who pointed the way.
Riggs woke up and looked outside. Seeing palm trees, much less water, in such a place still took him by surprise. Valeria stood by the shore, looking out at the oasis around them. He ran his finger along the scar on his cheek. He shuddered whenever he thought or Gorganas. Shaking his head, he rose. That was all so far away now. Valeria turned to him and smiled, seeing him emerge from their cabin. “You know, we could live here forever,” said Valeria.
Riggs grunted.
“What?” asked Valeria.
“Nothing.”
“So you’ve still never told me your story,” said Valeria, sitting down on the sandy beach. “Not much to know” replied Riggs.
“Liar,” replied Valeria amiably. “Alright, let’s start with this. How did you end up in this desert?”
“Crashed here.”
“Crashed?”
“Yup.”
“From what?”
“A ship.”
“Where were you going?”
“Don’t know. Truth be told, last thing I can remember clearly was leaving the station on a patrol. Everything else is fuzzy… but that’s enough for now.”
“Alright,” replied Valeria. She patted the ground next to him “Why don’t you sit down?” “I will,” replied Riggs, fingering his revolver and looking out at the desert beyond the oasis.
