Chapter 18: Linger and Lie Low
Pawnee, Oklahoma- about an hour later
"Ace? Ace, can you hear me?"
The girl's eyes fluttered open, and she saw a familiar red-haired figure kneeling over her.
"D-d-daphne?" she stammered.
She had barely finished speaking when Daphne leaned in and grabbed her in an overjoyed embrace.
"You're okay!" the latter exclaimed, unconsciously tightening her arms around Ace.
"…can't breathe…"
" You had us so worried when you collapsed like that!"
"…need air…" Ace choked.
It was at that moment that rational thought pierced Daphne's fit of ecstasy, and her grip around the girl slackened.
"So, how're you feeling?" she asked as she finally settled back into emotional normality.
"Hungry." Ace replied.
Daphne's hand shot into her hip pouch, and she pulled out an energy bar.
"This should tide you over until dinner."
Pawnee City Hall- approx. a quarter mile from Mystery Inc. and company's campground
"So let me get this straight- you managed to anger Maxwell Lord and figured your best bet was to hide in our territory." the local leader said.
"That's just about the shape of things, Mister- um, what's your title?" Velma replied.
"Chief will suffice."
"So, Chief Littlesun, will you let us lie low around here until things quiet down?" Fred asked.
"We will- though in exchange, we have a favor to ask of you."
"What sort of a favor?" Velma asked.
Chief Littlesun grew quiet.
"We've had some violent deaths in the area over the past few days, and the people are getting jumpy."
"Is there anything else you can tell us about these deaths?" Fred asked.
"According to the autopsies, the wounds on those killed are not consistent with any weapons that the killer could easily find on our lands- in fact, they appear to more closely resemble wounds inflicted by animals."
"Do you have any pictures of the bodies?" Velma asked.
"We have them in the archives, yes."
"May we see them?"
"Yes."
"So, what's on the menu for dinner?" Shaggy asked as he and Scooby wandered over to an uncompleted fire pit.
Arrowette looked up from her current task of stacking firewood.
"Chili con carne and damper bread."
"Like, what's damper bread?"
" Australian soda bread- perennial favorite of those traveling through the bush. It's filling, damned easy to make, and in my experience, it goes well with most game."
Just then, something crossed Arrowette's mind.
"Word of warning- the chili's an old family recipe, so it might be a bit hotter than you're used to." she said.
"Come in." Thorn said as she heard a knock on the front lounge door.
The door proceeded to open, and in stepped one of the soldiers from Scrapheap, her black hair now dyed a vibrant pink.
"So, you must be Max." the former lead singer of the Hex Girls said as she returned to her previous work- in this case, chopping green peppers for the night's meal.
" Correct." came the reply.
"So, what brings you in from the comms van?"
"Let me put it this way- whatever happened in Tulsa, it painted a target on our backs so big that you could see it from orbit." Max replied.
"How bad are we talking?"
"If the transmissions I've just intercepted are true, then Maxwell Lord-"
"Who?"
"The man in charge of Tulsa. Anyways, as I was saying, he's put a bounty on, and I quote, 'those responsible for aiding in the escape of Kamandi and his then-current opponent, in addition to any of their current associates'."
Thorn gulped, and the knife fell from her hands.
"How much?"
"20,000 energy dollars per head And if you're wondering what that is, it's scrip backed by Lord's oil reserves."
"Well, this is just peachy."
"It could be worse." Max replied.
"How?"
"We could be in the sights of one of Eiling's kill teams."
"As opposed to what?"
"Numerous bounty hunters, both professional and amateur, all looking to cash us in dead or alive."
"And let me guess- they'll all be converging on us here."
"Odds are that they won't- from what I've heard, the Pawnee nation prohibits bounty hunting."
"That's a-"
"So they'll wait until we're out of their borders and close in us then."
