A/N: here's the next chappie!


Chapter 2: The Hunt Begins

Vash sighed as he sat at the bar, twirling his ice in his drink before taking a sip. He was glad he'd gotten away from those bounty hunters without hurting anyone, yesterday. He was always glad when he got out of a fix without hurting anyone. He pushed his glasses up a little more on the bridge of his nose, glancing around every once in a while at the people in the bar. He hated that he could never let his guard down for a quiet drink.

"Hey, you hear about those three ships that came in yesterday?" the man next to him asked the bar tender.

"Ships?" the bartender echoed with a frown.

"Yeah," the man nodded. "Deep space ships."

"I didn't think those existed anymore!" the bartender voiced, astonished.

"Well, apparently they do," the man replied, leaning sideways on the bar, his drink in his hand. "They're weird lookin' things, too. One of 'em's kinda raggedy, the other's a nice red color and there's a third one that's black, and slick, almost like an alien ship or somethin'. They landed somewhere near the city. Few hundred iles from the city, I think."

"Three of 'em, huh?" the bartender mused. "What d'ya think they're here for?"

"Don't know," the man shrugged, leaning forward on the bar again. "But I can tell ya, if there're three, and they all look extremely different, you gotta figure they're here for Vash the Stampede."

"Vash?" the bartender echoed. "He'd nowhere near this town."

"How do you know that?" the guy asked. "Nobody really knows what he looks like!"

Vash swallowed silently, took the last sip of his drink and placed the ice-filled glass onto the bar. He dug into his pocket, tossed the price of the drink onto the bar and stood from his chair.

"Thanks for the drink, friend," he smiled, waving to the bartender as he walked off who nodded as he left. Vash walked out the swinging doors and stopped when he cleared them. They swung back and forth on their hinges, and after a few moments, finally stopped as he faced the street where a figure stood a few feet away from him; a figure that was nicely curved and wearing snug clothes to shows off those curves.

"Well, now, this is a surprise," the woman smirked, evilly, and Vash stiffened, ready for anything, but not being able to keep his eyes from wandering over her curves. "I come to planet Gunsmoke thinking I'd have to go on a decade-long search for the legendary outlaw, but lo and behold, here he is, coming out of a bar." She quickly pulled a gun from the holster around her hips and aimed at him. "Will you come quietly, Vash the Stampede?"

He said nothing, but watched as the people around them ran at the sight of the woman's gun and screamed at the mention of his name.

Good, he thought. Run. Get out of here so none of you get hurt.

As soon as he saw all the people disappear he smiled, "Ya know. A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be looking for a legendary outlaw to take him in to the police."

"Oh, really?" she raised a brow in amusement. "And what should a beautiful woman such as myself be doing?"

"Well, off the top of my head…" Vash replied, placing a hand under his chin in thought, then smirked, "You should be looking for a husband to settle down with. How 'bout you settle down with me?"

The woman scoffed, "Not a chance. I'd rather have the sixty billion double dollars, thank you."

Without another word, she pulled the trigger but Vash was too quick and shot off down the street. He cringed, however, when he heard one of the men in the bar give out painful cry and knew he'd been hit.

"I'm Ebony Lawless!" she shouted at Vash as she ran after him, then stopped and aimed at him again but he still ran. "I'm your worst nightmare!"

"I'm not arguing with that!" Vash called back, drawing his gun and turning as he heard the report of her pistol. The shot missed him as he turned and he raised his gun to aim at her, planting one foot down into the sand to bring him to a sliding stop. He took careful aim and fired. Ebony's gun flew out of her hand and she gave a gasp as it sailed through the air then turned to Vash again.

"You don't think I'm stupid enough to bring just one weapon, do you?!" she spat, reaching behind her to pull out two more pistols.

"Oh, crap!" Vash shouted and ran down a small alley between two buildings, dodging Ebony's hail of gunfire she aimed his way. Leaning back on one of the buildings, Vash took a few deep breaths then lifted his gun to prepare to turn and fire at her but the cocking of another gun sounded in his ear.

"Well, hi there, Vash the Stampede," a voice sounded behind the gun. Vash frowned and turned to see a scrawny man in blue with black hair and brown eyes.

He blinked a few times at the smirking man and said, "Uh, hi."

"Just come with me quietly so I can get paid, ok?" the man smirked.

"Aw, man!" Vash groaned. "I thought I was getting back-up!"

"Back-up?" the man frowned in wonder.

"Yeah," Vash replied. "But I guess you're her back-up, right?"

"Huh---?"

"Vash the Stampede!" Ebony screamed, and both turned to see her behind Vash. The blonde man screamed and ducked just as she shot at him again, grabbing the other man's collar to pull him down with him. They both hit the dirt until the hail of bullets stopped, then Vash scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could down the alley.

"Hey!" the other man shouted. "Get back here!"

"Dammit!" Ebony growled and the man turned to her with a frown. "Who the hell are you?! That's my bounty! Get your own!"

"The name's Spike," the man replied. "And for you information, he's mine."

"Don't screw with me!" Ebony snarled. "I saw him first!"

"Shit!"

A huge blast sounded after Vash's scream on the other end of the alley, drawing the couple's attention.

"Dammit!" Ebony snarled and shoved past Spike to run down the alley. "He's mine, dammit! No one better have blown him to pieces!"

Spike shot after her and when they rounded the corner, they saw a huge crater in the street and a man on the other side with red hair and a huge gun on his shoulder.

"You're kidding me!" Ebony screamed, drawing the red-head's attention. He blinked his dark eyes at the two on the other side of the crater as Ebony heaved in anger and Spike frowned at the entire scene.

"Who are you guys?" the red-head wondered.

"Forget who we are! Where's Vash the Stampede?!" Ebony snarled just as Spike was about to reply. The red-head blinked at her in surprise then glared at her.

"No way!" he shouted. "He's mine!"

"Oh, my God! It's Vash the Stampede!"

"Come on, buddy! I told you to be quiet! I asked nicely!"

Without another word the three ran to the hotel where the shouting was and the red-head stormed through the door first. A girlish scream sounded from behind the concierge desk, and the red-head smirked confidently, aiming his gun in that direction.

"Don't, you moron!" Ebony shouted, but he pulled the trigger and hit the desk, shattering it to pieces. The three covered their eyes against the splinters sailing toward them then looked to see if Vash the Stampede was dead. His body wasn't even there.

"Well, where the hell did he go?" the red-head snapped, looking around with the other two. They stayed at the door then looked up to the wooden chandelier on the ceiling to see Vash wrapped around it and panting, tiredly.

"He's mine!" the three shouted, and aimed their guns at him, the red haired man with a hand pistol, this time. They all began shooting at Vash who gave another girlish scream and used the chandelier to launch himself onto the upper level and shoved himself against the wall connecting the rooms.

"I can't even have one peaceful day?!" Vash cried, staring at the ceiling as if talking to God.

"Stop shooting!" Ebony shouted at the too men with her and when they did she snarled, "I saw him first! He's my bounty! Get lost!"

"No way!" the red-haired man snapped back. "I need the money! You get lost!"

"Oh, and like I don't need the money?!" Spike chimed in then looked at the red-haired man. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Gene Starwind," he smirked.

"Oh, Spike Speigel," Spike smiled, shaking Gene's hand.

"Would you guys focus!" Ebony snarled.

"Are you guys out of bullets?" Vash called, meekly from over the railing, drawing their attention. They answered his question by firing at him again and he ducked back, muttering, "Guess not."

He looked at the wooden chandelier and came up with a plan. He stood, making sure he didn't get hit by any of the bullets flying toward him and jumped back onto the thing, shot the rope holding it to the ceiling and held on for dear life. The three on the ground stared in astonishment as the thing came down with him on it, but when it landed to their level, splinters and dust from the blow up desk flew at them and they had to cover their eyes from it. Vash shot to the door and out as the other three coughed at the dust in the air then turned to the chandelier only to find it in shambles, but no Vash.

"Dammit!" Ebony snarled and ran out the door to look down the street, but it was empty. She growled and looked to the two men who came out together. "Thanks to you goofballs, I lost him!"

"Us?!" Gene snapped. "You were the one who started arguing on whose bounty it was, when it's a no-brainer! He's mine!"

"I saw him first!" Ebony argued, marching closer to him. "That makes him my bounty!"

"I got closest to killing him when you showed up!" Spike argued, pointing at Ebony. "He's mine!"

The three stared each other down, knowing this was not going to get them anywhere. Ebony smirked, and crossed her arms, stepping back from the two as they stared angrily at her.

"How about we work together then?" she crooned. "After all, sixty billion double dollars split three ways is still a lot of money for the three of us, and three heads are better than one."

"No way," Gene protested. "I've got my own team. You guys would just drag me down."

"Same here," Spike shrugged. "I've already got a woman with attitude with me. I don't need another one pissing me off."

Ebony glared at them then shrugged, saying, "Alright, then."

Without another word she drew her guns and aimed at the two men. They were both quicker before she pulled the trigger, and ducked back into the hotel, just dodging the bullets.

"Boy, this chick is moody!" Spike snapped, reloading his gun as he sat on one side of the door, Gene on the other.

"I don't need dimwits like you interfering with my job!" Ebony snarled. "Come out and die like men!"

"I hate to break this to you, sweetheart, but you're outnumbered!" Gene called back, reloading his gun as well. "Two against one is hardly fair for you!"

The two men waited to see if she'd attack anyway or say anything else. She only snarled and they heard her footsteps walking away. Only when they were sure she was gone did they sigh and relax.

"I knew other bounty hunters would be after this guy, but I didn't think he'd attract someone as crazy as her," Spike muttered, cradling his head back in his hands.

"Yeah," Gene sighed, doing the same. "That chick is stir-crazy."

The two sat there for a moment before Spike glanced at Gene and said, "So, you gonna try and kill me?"

Gene glanced over at Spike and replied, "Nah. I'm not that cruel."

"So what should we do?" Spike wondered.

"I dunno," Gene shrugged, then sat up smirked, "First to the finish?"

Spike thought for a moment and sat up as well and shrugged, "Alright."

They stood up and made sure Ebony was in fact gone and not waiting for them around a corner then walked out of the shambled hotel.

"Guess I'll be seeing you, Gene Starwind," Spike smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets and heading down the street.

"You too, Spike Speigel," Gene replied, waving a hand as he walked down the opposite end. Both men headed to their ships.


"Dammit!" Ebony snarled, slamming her hands onto the table in her gun room. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Those two idiots had to ruin it! I was so close to getting that money! Dammit!"

She growled as she swept everything on the table onto the floor then stood and heaved in anger.

"They don't stand a chance!" she growled. "I'll take them out, and Vash the Stampede! I've dealt with worse. This'll be nothing! They'll wish they never met ebony Lawless! Those men are such…idiots!"


Meanwhile...

Spike sighed as he lifted himself from the cockpit of the Swordfish and climbed down onto the landing.

"How'd it go?" Jet asked as he stood at the entrance of the docking bay, Spike walking toward him.

"We've got competition," he muttered, walking past him. "A rookie and a wild chick."

"I told you," Jet replied, simply. "I knew there'd be competition, but you didn't listen to me."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," Spike muttered, walking past him to head deeper into the ship.

"So what are you gonna do?" Jet wondered, heading after him.

"Something I thought I'd never have to," Spike grumbled, making Jet frown, but he only asked, "Is Faye around?"

"She's in the main room," Jet replied. "Hey, what are you gonna do?"

Spike didn't answer and Jet only trailed behind him as he walked through the ship and into the main room where Faye sat on the couch, watching the TV.

"Faye," Spike called and she turned around with a frown.

"What?"

Spike sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, unable to believe he was actually doing this, then sputtered, "I-I need your help."


Meanwhile...

"Well?!" Jim grinned as Gene walked into the hotel room. "Did you do it?!"

"Oh, yeah, Jim," Gene replied sarcastically. "They paid me in invisible money! Here's your cut!"

He motioned to Jim as if tossing money at him and Jim glared at the older man.

"Didn't I tell you it would hard?!" he snapped. "But, no. You didn't listen."

"Oh, bite me," Gene snapped back as he sat on the bed then flopped onto his back with a sigh and murmured, "I just don't know how he did it. He dodged it so perfectly. It was like he saw it coming. He can't be human. It's not possible."

"What are you mumblin' about, Gene?" Jim wondered and Gene sighed again as he sat up.

"Nothing," he lied then asked, "Where are the girls?"

"Suzuka and Aisha are back on the ship," Jim replied, lying back in his bed. "Melfina's in the shower."

"Really?" Gene smirked and slowly stood to head to the bathroom, but Jim caught him and pulled out a pistol and launched it at Gene's head. It hit him and Gene cringed as he froze then whirled around and shouted, "What the hell was that for?!"

"Like I'm really gonna let you take advantage of Mel while I'm here!" Jim retorted and Gene only glared at the boy. "Besides, you're supposed to be thinkin' up a strategy!"

"I know, I know!" Gene muttered, waving the boy off. "I just need to clear my head."

He turned back to the bathroom but another pistol slammed into the back of his head and he whirled around to glare at Jim again.

"Would you knock it off?!" he snapped.

"No!" Jim retorted and Gene only huffed and headed toward his bed, knowing that going anywhere else would result in a fit from the boy. He flopped onto bed and thought a moment as Jim looked up something on his hand-held computer.

He can't be human, Gene thought to himself again. But if he's not human, then what is he? More importantly, how do we beat him?


Meanwhile...

Vash leaned back against one of the buildings of the alley he was hiding in, breathing heavily, and thinking deeply.

That woman, he thought. She was crazy! She didn't seem to care who got hurt! I could see it in her eyes, she didn't care. She'd do anything to get to her goal, no matter who was killed, or what was destroyed. It's a good thing I had those other guys to distract her, otherwise, I would've been a goner!

He sighed and leaned his head back to look up at the sky and spoke aloud to himself, saying, "Those two guys didn't seem so bad. They were in it for the money, I could tell, but that woman…she was in it for the thrill. She's a wild one. I gotta make sure she doesn't catch my scent again."

Looking up and down the alley, he holstered his gun as he stood, adjusting his glasses that he was thankful hadn't come off during all the ruckus. He headed back to the bar where he'd dropped his bag and picking it up, headed out of town.


A/N: and so, the crews begin to plan! mwa ha ha! well, there it is! so, how was it? reviews?