-
Jet leaned against the metal railing of the stairs as he took in what Wolfwood had told them. He should've known that jackass with the rifle wouldn't leave well enough alone. Now, he had another jackass conspiring with him. People hadn't changed a bit in a thousand years. There were two constants in the universe - change and people were selfish and evil.
"I hate to be the one bringing you news like this ..." Wolfwood trailed off as he looked from Jet to Spike, who lounged on the couch across from him. "I wouldn't have bothered with it if they hadn't mentioned a third party. These two barely have enough brain cells between them to find their own asses. It's Silas MacGruder I'm concerned about."
Spike scoffed. "This is the last thing we need," he murmured, staring at the burning cigarette dangling between two fingers. "Silas MacGruder? I recognize that name." He took a drag off his cigarette then nodded. "One of the bounties Faye and I pulled off the sheriff's office. Murder seems to be his favorite pasttime." He wondered how Bob Talbert knew him, but that didn't really matter. "These idiots apparently have a death wish."
"Death wish?" Vash had remained silent until then. His expression reflected the uneasiness he felt that someone could possibly die over this.
"We're not letting them take our ship," Spike replied. "I don't want to live on this planet but I'm sure as hell not dying here." He glanced at Jet, who nodded in agreement. "Let them come. They'll regret ever seeing this ship when it's over."
"Your plan is to do what? Kill them, and whoever is with them?" Vash shifted his gaze between Spike and Jet. "Is that it?"
"Only fair. They wouldn't hesitate to do the same to us." Spike leaned forward, snuffing out his cigarette.
"You have other options."
"Like what?"
"Try talking to them."
"You were there this afternoon, Vash," Jet spoke up. "These guys aren't into chatting."
"They also left, without anyone getting hurt."
He laughed. "One man alone knows his limits. With others, those limitations aren't so restrictive."
Vash turned to Wolfwood for support. The priest avoided eye contact with him, though. "You know there are other ways to resolve this," he said. "You've seen it happen. People can be reasoned with."
"Not these people," Wolfwood quietly said. He looked to Jet and Spike. "I'm afraid I left something out."
Spike rested his elbows on his knees, his attention on Wolfwood. "How could this possibly get any worse?"
"They do plan to kill you. All of you." He looked at Vash when he said the last part. He hated that expression on the outlaw's face, as though he were let down. "What's more ..." he continued, sliding his gaze back to Spike. "... is that our friend from the saloon has ideas of his own for what they should do with Faye. His ego took a bigger hit than his eye and he wants to ease the sting." He left the conclusion up to them. He didn't have to say it, it was self-explanatory.
"Christ," sighed Jet. He glanced at Wolfwood. "Sorry," he quickly apologized before turning to Vash. "Do you still believe we can reason with these people?"
"Do you still believe that killing them is your only solution?"
"They won't bother us again. A pretty permanent solution, if you ask me."
Vash sadly shook his head. It pained him to hear those words from Jet Black, a man he'd come to respect in such a short time. "I won't be party to anyone's murder. Not even theirs."
Spike laughed humorlessly. "I can't fucking believe this," he snorted, kicking up his feet on the table. "The guy wanted by the authorities is a pacifist and the goddamn priest is the only one on our side." He threw a glance of his own at Wolfwood. "Sorry."
"They may be right, Vash," Wolfwood reluctantly admitted as Vash looked to him for his opinion. "One of them already tried to kill two people. Now they're enlisting the help of a known murderer. They won't walk away from the fight next time." He watched as the hope drained from Vash's eyes. "I'm sorry, friend. I've done it your way before but I can't now. Not on this one."
Slowly, Vash rose to his feet. "You do what you feel you have to ... and I'll do what I have to." He turned to leave, freezing when Wolfwood spoke.
"You can keep playing by your rules, knowing what they'll do to Faye? Knowing they'll put a bullet in that little girl you're so fond of?"
Vash turned his head, looking over his shoulder at them. "No one has the right to take the life of another. No reason is good enough to snuff out the divine spark of a human being, not even those." He bowed his head, closing his eyes half-way as he left the room. He thought Wolfwood had learned a better path. Apparently, he was sorely mistaken.
Faye leaned against the wall as Vash approached the corridor she hid in the shadows of. As usual, she'd eavesdropped on the entire conversation. Her stomach lurched when Wolfwood revealed what Will had planned for her, but not as much as it did when she heard what they had in store for the others. The only bright spot was that Wolfwood had taken Spike and Jet's side.
Vash entered the corridor and stopped in front of her. His eyes opened fully as he slid his gaze over to her. The bumbling idiot of a man she'd fought off all evening was gone. The intensity of the sadness contained within his eyes burrowed into her. The mere idea that Spike, Jet and Wolfwood intended to kill these sons of bitches truly agonized him.
"You shouldn't have heard that," he softly said.
"I'm part of this crew, too, I can listen to whatever I want," she snapped. Her anger surged when he looked down at the floor. "Why are you defending them! How can you stand there and say things like that when you know what they're capable of?"
"I told you that I would protect you, Faye."
She grabbed him by the coat with one hand. "I can take care of myself," she hissed, giving him a good shake. "They are going to kill Ed. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't you care about her?"
His head lifted and that disarming gaze of his met Faye's again. "Yes, I do. And that's why I said those things." He placed a hand on hers, gently unclamped it from his coat, yet kept it clasped in his. "She deserves a world without murder and hatred. If I can give her that, then that's what I'll do. I won't help them take the lives of others. No matter who they are or what harm they intend to inflict."
She pulled her hand away from his. "She can't live in a fairy tale world, Vash, because that's what you're describing. A story book place, where happy endings are found. This is the world we're in." She gestured to the ship. "I'm sure she'd like to keep living in it." Her eyes narrowed at him when he still showed no emotion. "She can't play with you if she's dead."
For a long, silent moment, he gazed upon her. "It's a shame to hear such a pessimistic view come from such a beautiful woman." He gingerly brushed a loose lock of hair away from her face, gave her one last look then continued on his way.
Folding her arms across her chest, she watched Vash disappear into the darkness of the corridor ahead of him. "It's called 'reality'," she muttered.
In the room, Spike laid back on the couch. "Your outlaw friend has some strange ideas," he said, glancing at Wolfwood.
"Yes, he does." Vash's stances of non-violence wouldn't work against a man like Silas MacGruder. MacGruder was not like any foe the 'Humanoid Typhoon' had brushed up against thus far. Wolfwood had heard enough stories about MacGruder during his short time in April City. This wasn't someone who would be taken down by a well-laid plan, only by a bullet between the eyes.
Spike opened his eyes when he heard Jet walk by him. The man left the room and headed down the corridor that led back to his own quarters. Shaking his head slightly, Spike let his eyes close once more. "I think he's having an effect on Jet, too," he murmured.
"Tends to happen." Wolfwood noticed Faye, standing half-behind a corner, peering into the room. When she saw him looking straight at her, Faye turned and quickly vanished down the corridor.
-
On the outskirts of April City, in a part of town that few people dared to venture into, two men - one less confident than the other - did just that. Bob Talbert spent more time here than Will Harman, and he knew the type of people who called the place home. This was where they would find their prospective partner - Silas MacGruder.
"You keep your mouth shut an' let me do the talking, all right?" Talbert said in a low voice as they stopped on the doorstep of a beaten down building at the end of the street. "There's reasons nobody in this town, not even the sheriff, chases this guy's bounty. They're all buried in his backyard. Got it?"
Will swallowed hard, nodding. He may've been somewhat drunk but he wasn't stupid. Though the one million double dollar bounty on Silas MacGruder's head would've been nice to have, he enjoyed having his life much more. Besides, one million was nothing compared to what they'd get for a working spaceship.
Talbert rapped on the door, waited then banged harder. "Hey! Cousin Silas? You home?" he called, leaning towards the door, listening for footsteps.
"Cousin?" Will repeated, his eyes going wide in surprise. He wasn't Bob Talbert's best friend, but he thought he knew the man well. Apparently not. Talbert did a damn good job at keeping this a secret.
The door opened and both men found themselves staring down the barrel of a large silver-plated gun. At the other end was Silas MacGruder. MacGruder wasn't the kind of man most would be dumb enough to cross. He towered over Talbert and Will by a good foot and a half. His build was most impressive, and the absolute absence of emotion in his dark eyes was enough to unsettle even Talbert. From almost head to toe, MacGruder was covered in a black body armor that neither man was familiar with. Several weapons and ammo belts were strapped to him, criss-crossing his chest, and a cold scowl on his face.
"What're you doin' here?" MacGruder demanded, his gun now trained on Talbert. "You get so goddamn desperate for money you figured you'd cash in on my bounty ... Cousin?"
Talbert laughed nervously as he threw up his hands. "What? No! I wouldn't dream of turnin' you in. What do you take me for?"
"A lousy, no-good son of a bitch who'd sell out his own mother for a few bucks," MacGruder replied.
"You aren't gonna hold that against me for the rest of my life, are you, Sy? C'mon!"
"Aunt Ruthie was the only family I ever liked, you lowlife sleazebag."
Talbert shrugged. "She understands. I see her every once in a while. She asks about you, too."
Will glanced between Talbert and MacGruder, disbelief plastered on his face. All that time, Will thought Talbert was full of shit, talking about what he could do if he only had the chance. With family like this, he obviously could do it. And then some.
"What do you want from me, Bobby? I swear, if it ain't worth my while ..." He pulled back the hammer on his gun.
"A working spaceship isn't worth your time, Sy?"
MacGruder scoffed. "Bullshit."
"Oh, it's not!" Will quickly piped up. "He's seen it!" He stepped back when MacGruder's gun shifted to him. He put up his hands, glancing from the barrel of the gun to the man's face.
"Who the hell is this?"
"Will Harman, a business associate," Talbert answered. "We have a business proposition for you, Sy." He paused, waiting for MacGruder's reaction. "If you're not interested in makin' a lot of money real easy ... then I suppose we'll go." He turned to leave but MacGruder seized him by the coat.
"Tell me about this so-called spaceship." He turned Talbert around, shoving the gun barrel half an inch away from the other man's nose. "If I don't like what you've said when you're finished, I'll blow your goddamn head off."
Talbert smiled. "You'll like what I have to say, Cousin. I guarantee it."
-
Vash came to a stop when he found Ed, along with Ein, curled up in one of the many corridors of the Bebop, sleeping. She had one arm slung around the dog and used her other for a pillow. Ein's eyes opened when he smelled a familiar scent, then he wagged his tail as he stared up at Vash. Ed, though, remained in a peaceful slumber, snoring softly.
'Don't you care about her?' Faye's voice echoed in Vash's mind.
Ein's tail stopped wagging, his head cocked to one side when Vash only gazed upon them.
Slowly, the man crouched down next to the dog and the girl, his left hand extending to scratch Ein behind his ears. The dog licked his hand when he pulled it back. He cared very much for Ed. Children had something most adults lost in their teenage years - an innocent sense of wonder, imagination and hope. People shouldn't have to sacrifice that later in life in order to survive in the world.
Placing a hand on Ed's shoulder, he gently shook her. "Wake up," he whispered. "Ed ... wake up." He let go when she opened her eyes. "We have to leave."
Yawning, Ed sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Leave? Where Vashy wanna go this late? Ed is tired." She gazed at him through half-lidded eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Come on." He stood up, extending his hand to her.
Ed accepted his hand and pulled herself to her feet. "Where are you taking Ed?"
"Somewhere that you'll be safe."
"The Bebop isn't safe anymore?"
"No, it's not."
"Oh. Can Ein come, too?" She pointed to the dog who looked from one human to the other.
Vash managed a faint smile. "Yes, he can come, too." He picked her up, holding her in one arm as she wrapped her own arms around his neck.
"Will we be able to play at this new place?" she asked as Vash carried her down the corridor with Ein trotting along beside them.
"Not tonight."
She frowned. "All right." She eyed him for a few moments then asked, "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" When he didn't answer, she frowned again and wondered why he acted so strangely.
More To Come ... Song Title Used: "My Perspective Fades" by The Headstones