The Dishonorable Trade
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Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun or any of the characters except the ones I
made up.
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Chapter 1
One not so extraordinary day, out of the blue, Wolfwood informed Vash that he was leaving.
"Why?" asked Vash.
"I have to go make money for the orphanage. You know how it is with a lack of money, it never ends. Well, give Milly and Meryl my regards," Wolfwood than added, "We'll meet again, my friend." And with that, Wolfwood hoisted his Cross Punisher over his shoulder and set off into the horizon.
Vash stared after Wolfwood and he decided to head over to a tavern. When he got there, he wasn't surprised to see that Meryl and Milly were already there, waiting for him.
"Hello, Mr. Vash!" Milly waved to him cheerfully, "Oh, where's Mr. Wolfwood?"
"He had to leave. He needs to make more money for his orphanage."
"Oh," Milly looked disappointed, but she continued, "Well, he's doing what's right, we'll see him again."
"Yeah," Vash agreed, "Milly, want to join me for a drink? You, too, Meryl."
Milly happily accepted, but Meryl decline. While Meryl was trying to keep Milly from drinking too much and Vash laughing at her attempt, three men were watching them from a dark corner.
"They're perfect, they're not from here. No one will ever notice that they're gone."
"I don't know, isn't a little risky, trying to get all three?"
"The girls shouldn't be a problem. Even the blond guy should be fairly easy when he's drunk. Look at him."
Indeed, by this time Vash was slurring his words while he slumped down in his chair and Meryl gave him a disgusted look.
"Mr. Vash, how long do you plan on keeping this up?" Meryl started giving Vash the usual lecture, than he fell onto the floor.
The thump of his body hitting the floor woke Milly up from her drunken stupor. "Mr. Vash! Are you alright?" Milly looked down at Vash, concerned.
"Oh, yeah," Vash said groggily, rubbing his head, "I think it's time to stop."
Meryl muttered, "That was the first intelligent thing I've heard you say tonight."
Vash grinned sheepishly as Meryl and Milly struggled to pull him to his feet. Meryl marveled at the fact that Milly was able to stand on her own feet and half carry Vash out of the tavern. They did not notice that the three men in dark corner had quietly followed them out. The first man indicated to the other two that he was going to get in front of the three and that the other two should stay behind them. The other two men nodded in agreement. The first man stepped in front of Meryl, Milly, and Vash.
"Hold it right there," he said, point a gun at them.
For being so drunk, Vash acted quickly; he whipped out his gun and pointed it at the man. Meryl and Milly were so surprised that they didn't have time to act before the other two men came up and nestled their guns against the girls' heads. Meryl and Milly gave an involuntary gasp at the cold metal pressed against their heads.
"Hey, blondie, if you don't want these girls to get hurt, put your gun down."
Vash didn't have to turn around to know that they got the girls. He glared at the first man and slowly put his gun down.
"Good boy," he smiled at Vash, he than, turned to the other two men, "Mike, Logan, take his women in the other car."
"Excuse me," Meryl said indignantly, "We are not HIS women!"
"Yeah, if they were my women, maybe they would actually listen to me from time to time." Vash murmured.
Meryl glared at him when Logan said, "Alright, Vince, we'll take them in the other car. But are you sure you want to handle this guy on your own?"
Vince looked at Vash, who was holding his head in his hands to keep the world from spinning, "I think I'll be fine," he said.
Logan and Mike tied Milly's and Meryl's hands together. They, then, checked the girls for weapons. Milly's stungun fell out and landed on Mike's foot, he howled in pain. Logan used a little more caution as he searched Meryl. He was astounded when he found her fifty derringers.
"Damn! You girls don't pack light, do you?"
Vince stared at them thoughtfully and he turned to Vash, "Alright, buddy, put your hands behind you and don't try anything funny or the girls get it. Okay?"
"Yeah," Vash mumbled, "By the way, who are you guys and why are you doing this?"
"Well," Vince said as he finished tying Vash up, "We're tradesmen."
"What kind of tradesmen?" Meryl whispered, dreading the answer.
"We're in the slave business. We sell human cargo, so to speak."
Wolfwood arrived to the town of New Bismarck by bus. As he got off the bus, he knew that he better get out his bike while he was here. Wolfwood first went to the post office to send off the little money he collected from the people on the bus and check his mail. As he approached the post office, Wolfwood saw a familiar figure outside. It was one of the older boys from the orphanage.
"Jeremy!" Wolfwood exclaimed, "What are you doing here!"
Jeremy looked like he was about to burst into tears, "Mr. Wolfwood! I've been waiting here for two weeks for you."
"What happened?" Wolfwood was becoming increasingly concerned.
"It's Natalie. She's been abducted!"
"Did you see the kidnappers? Why did they do it?"
Tears were running down Jeremy's face, "Um, the men who took her....I heard from some people...that they're...slave traders."
Wolfwood swore and after he was done swearing, he turned to Jeremy and asked, "Alright, when and where did this exactly happen?"
Jeremy explained that it had happened about two and a half weeks ago when he and a couple of the older kids took the younger children to a small village called Lark to see an acting troupe. Natalie wanted to meet the actors, and she took off. Jeremy had run after her, but it was so crowded due to everyone watching the plays. Jeremy finally caught sight of Natalie, but something was wrong. She was struggling against two men, Jeremy shouted and ran toward them. One of the men grabbed hold of Natalie while Jeremy tried to fight the other. The man just pushed Jeremy to the ground and ran and jumped into a car. As Jeremy stared after the car, an elderly woman told him in a sad voice that those men probably realized that the girl was an orphan and therefore, perfect for a slave. There would be no one to look for her. Jeremy felt so angry. These villagers knew what those men were and yet, allowed them to carry on their business.
Wolfwood was smoking a cigarette, he threw it to the ground, "Well, they're wrong about one thing. There will be someone looking for her. Me."
"I want to go, too!"
"No, Jeremy. I need for you to back to the orphanage and watch over the others."
"Please, Mr. Wolfwood. I'm responsible for all this. I have to go!"
"The answer is no, Jeremy and that's final!" Wolfwood's face softened, "Look, you're not responsible for what happened. It could have happened to anyone. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I really need for you watch over the other kids."
Jeremy gave a look of resignation, "Alright, I'll go back to the orphanage."
"Good," Wolfwood pulled out the money he collected, "Here, I was going to send you this, but since you're here, here you go," he handed the money to Jeremy.
Jeremy took the money, "Thanks. By the way, Mr. Wolfwood, when are you going to be finished with the job that strange man asked you to do? Everyone really misses you."
Wolfwood sighed and patted Jeremy on the back, "I'm not sure, Jeremy. I just don't know."
Later, Wolfwood watched as Jeremy boarded the bus and as it left, he thought about the time when he and Milly go involved with the two kids from a caravan. The boy ran away because his father allowed the caravan to transport human cargo and the girl was the next cargo. Wolfwood felt angry that they were running away. Sure, he thought that slave trading was a despicable business, but they were talking about people's lives at the time. Now, they weren't talking about life and death. Right now, they were talking about the wellbeing of a little girl.
As Wolfwood was checking his ammunition, he wondered what he'd do when he catches the bastards. One thing, for sure, he thought as he took his bike out of storage, it'd be bad for them.
One not so extraordinary day, out of the blue, Wolfwood informed Vash that he was leaving.
"Why?" asked Vash.
"I have to go make money for the orphanage. You know how it is with a lack of money, it never ends. Well, give Milly and Meryl my regards," Wolfwood than added, "We'll meet again, my friend." And with that, Wolfwood hoisted his Cross Punisher over his shoulder and set off into the horizon.
Vash stared after Wolfwood and he decided to head over to a tavern. When he got there, he wasn't surprised to see that Meryl and Milly were already there, waiting for him.
"Hello, Mr. Vash!" Milly waved to him cheerfully, "Oh, where's Mr. Wolfwood?"
"He had to leave. He needs to make more money for his orphanage."
"Oh," Milly looked disappointed, but she continued, "Well, he's doing what's right, we'll see him again."
"Yeah," Vash agreed, "Milly, want to join me for a drink? You, too, Meryl."
Milly happily accepted, but Meryl decline. While Meryl was trying to keep Milly from drinking too much and Vash laughing at her attempt, three men were watching them from a dark corner.
"They're perfect, they're not from here. No one will ever notice that they're gone."
"I don't know, isn't a little risky, trying to get all three?"
"The girls shouldn't be a problem. Even the blond guy should be fairly easy when he's drunk. Look at him."
Indeed, by this time Vash was slurring his words while he slumped down in his chair and Meryl gave him a disgusted look.
"Mr. Vash, how long do you plan on keeping this up?" Meryl started giving Vash the usual lecture, than he fell onto the floor.
The thump of his body hitting the floor woke Milly up from her drunken stupor. "Mr. Vash! Are you alright?" Milly looked down at Vash, concerned.
"Oh, yeah," Vash said groggily, rubbing his head, "I think it's time to stop."
Meryl muttered, "That was the first intelligent thing I've heard you say tonight."
Vash grinned sheepishly as Meryl and Milly struggled to pull him to his feet. Meryl marveled at the fact that Milly was able to stand on her own feet and half carry Vash out of the tavern. They did not notice that the three men in dark corner had quietly followed them out. The first man indicated to the other two that he was going to get in front of the three and that the other two should stay behind them. The other two men nodded in agreement. The first man stepped in front of Meryl, Milly, and Vash.
"Hold it right there," he said, point a gun at them.
For being so drunk, Vash acted quickly; he whipped out his gun and pointed it at the man. Meryl and Milly were so surprised that they didn't have time to act before the other two men came up and nestled their guns against the girls' heads. Meryl and Milly gave an involuntary gasp at the cold metal pressed against their heads.
"Hey, blondie, if you don't want these girls to get hurt, put your gun down."
Vash didn't have to turn around to know that they got the girls. He glared at the first man and slowly put his gun down.
"Good boy," he smiled at Vash, he than, turned to the other two men, "Mike, Logan, take his women in the other car."
"Excuse me," Meryl said indignantly, "We are not HIS women!"
"Yeah, if they were my women, maybe they would actually listen to me from time to time." Vash murmured.
Meryl glared at him when Logan said, "Alright, Vince, we'll take them in the other car. But are you sure you want to handle this guy on your own?"
Vince looked at Vash, who was holding his head in his hands to keep the world from spinning, "I think I'll be fine," he said.
Logan and Mike tied Milly's and Meryl's hands together. They, then, checked the girls for weapons. Milly's stungun fell out and landed on Mike's foot, he howled in pain. Logan used a little more caution as he searched Meryl. He was astounded when he found her fifty derringers.
"Damn! You girls don't pack light, do you?"
Vince stared at them thoughtfully and he turned to Vash, "Alright, buddy, put your hands behind you and don't try anything funny or the girls get it. Okay?"
"Yeah," Vash mumbled, "By the way, who are you guys and why are you doing this?"
"Well," Vince said as he finished tying Vash up, "We're tradesmen."
"What kind of tradesmen?" Meryl whispered, dreading the answer.
"We're in the slave business. We sell human cargo, so to speak."
Wolfwood arrived to the town of New Bismarck by bus. As he got off the bus, he knew that he better get out his bike while he was here. Wolfwood first went to the post office to send off the little money he collected from the people on the bus and check his mail. As he approached the post office, Wolfwood saw a familiar figure outside. It was one of the older boys from the orphanage.
"Jeremy!" Wolfwood exclaimed, "What are you doing here!"
Jeremy looked like he was about to burst into tears, "Mr. Wolfwood! I've been waiting here for two weeks for you."
"What happened?" Wolfwood was becoming increasingly concerned.
"It's Natalie. She's been abducted!"
"Did you see the kidnappers? Why did they do it?"
Tears were running down Jeremy's face, "Um, the men who took her....I heard from some people...that they're...slave traders."
Wolfwood swore and after he was done swearing, he turned to Jeremy and asked, "Alright, when and where did this exactly happen?"
Jeremy explained that it had happened about two and a half weeks ago when he and a couple of the older kids took the younger children to a small village called Lark to see an acting troupe. Natalie wanted to meet the actors, and she took off. Jeremy had run after her, but it was so crowded due to everyone watching the plays. Jeremy finally caught sight of Natalie, but something was wrong. She was struggling against two men, Jeremy shouted and ran toward them. One of the men grabbed hold of Natalie while Jeremy tried to fight the other. The man just pushed Jeremy to the ground and ran and jumped into a car. As Jeremy stared after the car, an elderly woman told him in a sad voice that those men probably realized that the girl was an orphan and therefore, perfect for a slave. There would be no one to look for her. Jeremy felt so angry. These villagers knew what those men were and yet, allowed them to carry on their business.
Wolfwood was smoking a cigarette, he threw it to the ground, "Well, they're wrong about one thing. There will be someone looking for her. Me."
"I want to go, too!"
"No, Jeremy. I need for you to back to the orphanage and watch over the others."
"Please, Mr. Wolfwood. I'm responsible for all this. I have to go!"
"The answer is no, Jeremy and that's final!" Wolfwood's face softened, "Look, you're not responsible for what happened. It could have happened to anyone. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I really need for you watch over the other kids."
Jeremy gave a look of resignation, "Alright, I'll go back to the orphanage."
"Good," Wolfwood pulled out the money he collected, "Here, I was going to send you this, but since you're here, here you go," he handed the money to Jeremy.
Jeremy took the money, "Thanks. By the way, Mr. Wolfwood, when are you going to be finished with the job that strange man asked you to do? Everyone really misses you."
Wolfwood sighed and patted Jeremy on the back, "I'm not sure, Jeremy. I just don't know."
Later, Wolfwood watched as Jeremy boarded the bus and as it left, he thought about the time when he and Milly go involved with the two kids from a caravan. The boy ran away because his father allowed the caravan to transport human cargo and the girl was the next cargo. Wolfwood felt angry that they were running away. Sure, he thought that slave trading was a despicable business, but they were talking about people's lives at the time. Now, they weren't talking about life and death. Right now, they were talking about the wellbeing of a little girl.
As Wolfwood was checking his ammunition, he wondered what he'd do when he catches the bastards. One thing, for sure, he thought as he took his bike out of storage, it'd be bad for them.