Here's the next chapter :) Hope you guys like it!
Thank you for the reviews! I appreciates it berry berry much! :)
UPDATE 03.21.15: Revised and fixed the idiotic errors I made in this chapter lol.
Disclaimer: I do not own GMW otherwise Maya would be kicking asses for real.
Lucas slammed his beer bottle on the table with a low growl of irritation. "Why does everything always have to get so fucked up…"
Billy leaned back in his chair, setting his booted feet up on the wooden table and chewing on the complementary straw of wheat he'd gotten from Abigail. He was scouting the area, looking for someone.
"It's all good, Lucas. Just take a deep breath and calm down. We can figure this thing out when Maya finally gets here."
"It won't be that simple anymore. We've got a problem Billy."
Billy frowned and stopped his search, meeting Lucas's eyes with slow trepidation building. "What do you mean?"
"If the mayor has my pistol, then he knows I survived. And he'll probably discover Willy and Slim soon enough. We don't have the element of surprise anymore."
"…Shit."
Lucas nodded, taking another heavy gulp of his beer.
"Well do you have a plan?"
"Not yet…"
"Again? Lucas you're off your game, man." Billy snorted.
Lucas shot him an annoyed glare before rolling his eyes. "I'm trying to think of a good strategy."
"Maybe Maya will think of something."
Lucas shot him an irked look again, and Billy snickered, going back to chewing on his wheat and placing his arms behind his head. Goading Lucas when he was still in a volatile mood wasn't exactly a wise move, but Billy couldn't help it. There weren't that many chances to pick on his partner. So if he had the opportunity, he would take it.
A small blonde haired boy plopped down in the empty chair at their table.
"I never could understand why it's so hard for a woman to get a whiskey when even a young looking short boy can get one... Damn sexist shit..." Maya groused. "Sorry I'm late. I had to wait for Papa to go to bed so I could steal some of his clothes."
She lifted up her arms, and they could clearly see the sleeves of her shirt were entirely too large around her slender arms. She had the shirt rolled up several times just so that her hands could be seen. They stared at her in some awe.
"I'm a little shocked at how good your disguise is." Billy said, staring at her, "You look like a real boy."
Maya rolled her eyes, "My disguise isn't that impenetrable. The reason you can never tell I'm a girl in the first place is because all you men are clueless." She took a long sip of her drink and released a lengthy, satisfied burp.
"Clueless? You're not exactly ladylike, you know…" Billy muttered, scouting the main area and floor once again. There were a lot of women out working tonight.
"So… What's her name?" Lucas started, "The whore you want to free."
"Her name is Katy." Maya said, somewhat quietly. She didn't supply any more information, and Billy and Lucas glanced at each other in suspicion. Once again, she was clearly hiding something.
"So what do you want Billy and me to do about it?" Lucas continued, "Can't you just help her escape?"
"The only way she can escape without being dragged back in as a convict is by eliminating her debt." She met his gaze, her blue eyes bright and sparking with fire. "And the only way to do that… is by getting rid of the mayor who instituted the debt. And that's where you come in."
Billy frowned, "Look. I sympathize with you. My woman is also stuck in this whore house, but we've been trying to off him for a while. It's not that simple. He's got so many lackeys and guards that he's damn near untouchable. We did have a chance once…"
"Until you had to fuck everything up." Lucas cut in crossly. Maya grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Get over it." She bit out, "I'm going to help you kill him, so chill out a bit would you. It's not like that was your last chance."
"Well…" Billy interjected, before Lucas snapped and flipped a shit, "There's been a complication. And now the mayor probably knows we're alive. And that we're out for his blood."
Maya groaned, already knowing what that meant, "Which means that he's going to be much more careful now, right?"
"Unfortunately."
"So what do we do?"
They all momentarily paused as a group of laughing men stumbled past their table. All three tipped their heads further down to hide their faces. It wouldn't do to get caught or apprehended now.
Lucas slowly rotated the beer in his hand watching the liquid slosh around inside the glass bottle. "I have an idea, but it might involve putting some of the girls in danger."
Maya's gaze shot to his in incredulity, "Absolutely not. They didn't do anything to deserve to get caught in the cross fire."
"Look, sometimes you need to make sacrifices to get what you want."
Maya's lip curled in disgust. "We are not sacrificing these girls just to get some corrupt mayor. Dear God, what did he do to you for you to even consider trading lives like that?"
"That's none of your business, ma'am." He replied loftily, tipping his hat derogatorily.
Maya rolled her eyes, "You're insufferable."
"You're a pain in the ass."
"Okaaay." Billy interjected before they started to duke it out with pistols. If both of them shot at each other, there was no way he was going to stick around and be caught in the middle of their crossfire. "Maya, does the mayor know Katy?"
"He has a weekly session with her…" Maya grumbled, eyes downcast, "He's made her his personal whore… And I'm pretty sure he put those scars on her back."
"Well how about this for a plan. Hear me out." Billy continued when he had both of their attention, "We find out when the session is. We hide in the room, lying in wait. And then bam. We off him. Quick and easy."
Lucas shook his head slowly after a moment. "…It's not enough."
"What the hell do you mean, it's not enough?" Maya frowned, "That's plenty enough. We don't need complications."
"Killing the mayor while most of the whole town thinks he's the best thing that's ever happened to this town is equivalent to outlaws killing the greatest man in the world." Lucas started. "It wouldn't accomplish anything but making him a victim."
Billy nodded, sighing dejectedly, "He's right… It would never go down well and people would turn on us so rapidly."
"Weren't you originally planning to just shoot him randomly though?" Maya questioned smugly as she cast a sneer in Lucas' direction.
He scowled at her, "I admit it wasn't the best plan. I wasn't thinking back then."
"Okay. So what then?" Maya sighed, leaning back in her chair tiredly. This was starting to be more trouble than it was worth. When she had first wanted to join up with them, her intention had been to get rid of the mayor quickly. She didn't think it would require that much planning or thinking about. Clearly she had been wrong.
They all fell silent for a bit, each thinking about a good way to make this work. Somewhere nearby, a particularly rambunctious man was loudly announcing his plans to buy himself a whore for the month. His companions were laughing and mocking him for being broke for spending all of his money on booze. Billy was staring at his beer, distractedly picking at the label.
"His reputation…" Lucas said at last after setting down his bottle, "We need to tear down his image, all his protective walls, and show people what a monster he truly is."
"What?" Maya was so confused, "What does that have to do with offing him?"
"Lucas, I thought we were going to get rid of him." Billy agreed, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"We will. But first we need to destroy the empire he's built. Make everyone hate him and want him dead. He needs to be the town's enemy when he dies." Lucas' eyes shone dangerously, the soft green going harsh and threatening. "Killing him now, he would be getting the easy way out. He needs to suffer…"
Billy's jaw opened slightly in understanding.
Maya understood what he meant too, but that didn't mean it wasn't any less surprising. She stared at Lucas in shock, wondering what the hell kind of stuff had to have happened to him for him to become such a hardened man. As much as she hated to admit it, he was attractive, but it was hard to pay attention to that when this hard shell of his was blocking anything about him other than 'revenge driven'. Billy had told her that Lucas was gentle, but she couldn't really believe it. Especially not when his eyes were flashing dangerously as they were now.
"So you want to completely tear him down…" Billy nodded slowly, his face lighting up in enthusiasm, "I see what you're saying. Revenge will be sweeter."
"So any ideas?" Maya responded, "Do either of you even have any legitimate dirt on the mayor in the first place?"
"I moved back here three years ago. Obviously not." Lucas said drily, "Doesn't the mayor visit Cory's ranch pretty often?"
Maya rose a brow. Moved back? What did he mean by that? Lucas lived in this town in the past?
"I mean, they usually only talk about the state of the ranch. Nothing particularly interesting. Besides, I don't stick around long enough. I'm usually here on evenings when he visits."
"You don't remember anything at all? Anything that might give us a lead?" Billy asked, starting to sound increasingly desperate. She didn't blame him. Their new plan was going nowhere fast, and she was starting to feel the same way. It was like they were quickly approaching a dead end or something.
"Well… Abby did once tell me that it was possible that the mayor cheats during poker games and drives men into bankruptcy. And then he takes their women as whores to pay their debt."
Billy's eyes narrowed, "I've heard that one too… But there's no proof to those rumours. And they're mostly just speculation."
"That's not all though…" Maya continued, frowning as she remembered something, "One time, I remember overhearing Papa discussing accounts with Shawn Hunter of the next town over. I was trying to sneak some whiskey, so I wasn't really paying attention, but I remember hearing something about the mayor stealing people's money and land… I'm pretty sure Mister Hunter was trying to warn Papa."
Lucas' expression hardened, "Stealing land and money sounds like something right up his alley…"
Billy glanced at him momentarily in worry, before turning back to face Maya. "Well that's a start. If the rumours of fraud are correct, we just have to find the deeds to land, contracts for the women, and any falsified documents right?"
"Yeah. In the mayor's office in his mansion on the first floor." Lucas added, eyes hooded as he carefully watched the nearby table of men who had just sat down. They weren't particularly drunk, and definitely coherent enough to recognize any of them.
"How do you know they will be in the mayor's house?" Maya questioned. "You sound awfully confident for someone who's never been in there before."
"I have been in there before." Lucas replied, turning to face them again. His eyes looked flat, and Maya's eyebrows skipped up in surprise at the slightly hollow look to them.
"What? When?" Maya asked dubiously, glancing at Billy in confusion. Billy didn't look shocked at Lucas' comment. He was rubbing the stubble on his chin, watching Lucas pensively. If Lucas moved back to the town three years ago, when the hell did he have the opportunity to go in the mayor's mansion? And long enough to know where the office was for that matter.
Lucas ignored her and continued, much to her chagrin. "But to be able to have access to the files in the office, we need someone to get us in the mansion. Security there will probably be very tight. Impenetrable even. It would have to be someone who can get under his defenses easily because they aren't suspicious. Someone who he wouldn't mind being around for an extended period of time…"
Maya frowned at the table, trying to think of someone who could get under Mayor Jed's defenses. It would be hard. He wasn't the type of man to let anyone in his inner circle. Not to mention the fact that after the attack the other day, he probably increased his defenses. Getting him to lower his walls would be pretty difficult. He wasn't the type to easily get led astray. Well, unless there was a woman involved… If there was anything that she knew perfectly about the mayor, it was that a pretty woman was a good distraction.
"What about if we…" Maya looked up finally, but tapered off when she noticed Billy and Lucas were both staring at her intently with the same look in their eyes. The same "slack jawed" type look as if they both came to realize something perfect. She knew exactly what they were both thinking. Her mouth slowly curved down until she was frowning at them with a hard glint in her eyes.
"Hell no. I am not going to become the mayor's distraction!"
"You're the only one who he doesn't know." Lucas tried to reason.
"He does know me. I'm the daughter of Cory Matthews! We met a few years back."
"He probably won't recognize you. You were most likely younger looking then." Billy asserted, looking excited. "This could really work Maya!"
"No!"
"You only have to get into his mansion. Go to the next town council meeting dressed as one of the whores he hires for the evening." Lucas added, "Peak his interest. Distract him. Get some whiskey in him and snatch his keys. Unlock his office. And then let Billy and me in. We snatch the papers, and then we all can get out. It's quick and easy."
"I refuse. I'm not some eye candy you can just use as a tool! I can fight you know. Why don't I just help you by fighting someone?"
"How would it make any sense for you to be fighting any of the mayor's men or him?"
Maya knew she was getting flustered. Their argument was actually pretty well crafted. They had a point. It was getting increasingly hard to argue against them because this plan could actually work.
"You do realize my father goes to these town meetings right? What do we do if he recognizes me?"
"Just make sure you don't run into him." Billy said teasingly, "Besides, you'll have so much makeup on your face that he probably won't recognize you anyway."
"Do you not want to save Katy?" Lucas said calculatingly with a raised eyebrow.
Maya glared at him in irritation. He was obviously playing the guilt card. And the worst part was that it was working.
"Yes, but this is ridiculous!"
"To you. I'm willing to go far to get the mayor. How far are you willing to go to save Katy?"
Maya silently stared at the two of them. Both of them were watching her impassively, waiting for her decision. Billy had a little smirk on his face, as if he knew what her response was going to be. It irritated Maya, and she hated to admit it, but she knew they were right. She was their best bet in getting into the mansion. She would be a fresh face, someone who the mayor hadn't screwed yet, and someone he would definitely be willing to try. She hated that they were dangling her as bait on the fishhook, but it was either that, or they had to find another person entirely and get them involved. The less people were involved, the better.
"Dammit." She cursed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Fine, but we do this my way, got that? I'll let you in from a window after I unlock the office. You get the shit; we get out. I will not bed him, understand?"
Lucas and Billy smiled at each other, hitting the rims of their beers together in triumph.
She groaned, "I'm going to regret this so much…"
"It'll be worth it in the end." Lucas said, ignoring the dirty look Maya shot him after his comment.
"It better be… I need a whiskey…" she bemoaned.
They discussed the logistics of their plan: where to meet, where to leave, when to leave, how to leave. Lucas explained the way the lower floor was arranged so Maya could find the office. If she couldn't find the keys, she could use her hair pins to crack the lock. Or worst case scenario, break down the door.
The more solidified the plot became, the more nervous Maya grew. She had confidence that she could pull this off, but there was this tiny lingering feeling she couldn't shake that something would go horribly wrong. They had a great scheme, and Lucas planned for anything huge that could go wrong, but he couldn't control every factor. There were some pretty huge risk factors in this plot.
She took a long gulp of her beer, hoping that this would go smoothly, because one mistake would probably mean her death.