Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Spike's POV

Stars were spread out across the skies, watching below to light my surroundings with what little light the street lamps gave me. I preferred the night than day, it allowed me to work without being noticed. The streets were clean but they still stunk. But I had to keep on walking, hoping that he was still there. I had contacted my partner and told him to wait for me in front of the apartment complex. As I approached, there he was, waiting impatiently with a katana in his hand.

"Spike. There you are. You sure he's here?" Shin asked me as he tossed the katana toward me. With ease I caught the scabbard of the blade and threw its belt around my waist. After I woke up, I learned that Vicious was alive and knew he'd come looking for me. I was lucky enough to survive the fight last time, but this time, I'd be prepared. With a gun I could only go so far in close combat, but with a sword, I could win this time. As for Shin, it was strange to find him alive. From what I've learned, he was dead when I left him. Clinically that is. His body had ceased but his brain was still alive, clinging to what little oxygen it could get. The doctors were able to revive him and so we teamed up.

And why not? When it came to skills and tactics, we knew each other like a book. Even though he's never been my official partner though we have worked with another numerous times. Hell, we even grew up together and trained one another, improving our skills trying to out best the other. We also had a lot in common, both had lost everything we held close and hated Vicious. So we knew where the other was coming from.

My eyes were alert and my nerves on the edge as we entered the building. When I was like this you couldn't take me by surprised. Quickly but silently we moved through the hallways and to the stairs. The bottom was the single and double digits so the second floor was in the 100s. That means our target is on the third. Getting a rush at tracking down a man of this rumored skilled, man I was loving this. I just hope its true about what they say about his skill.

Coming to the third floor, we rushed down the hallway glancing at the numbers as we went by. Quickly I got beside the door belonging to room 254 as Shin got on the other side. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my handgun and gripped it firmly with both hands. I always carried my handgun in my side pocket. Mostly because I hate having a gun belt around my waist. But hey, to each his own, right?

My partner gave the signal with a nod and almost immediately I kicked the door in. There he was, punching the punching bag down the small hallway in what looked like the living room. Quickly I rushed in with Shin behind me with my gun up, "Hands up Don!" I commanded but he didn't seem to want to go peacefully. They never do. Next thing I knew I was thrown over the couch and onto the table. I struggled to get up but Don quickly pounced on me trying to wrestle my gun free.

Before I knew it, the man was thrown off of me by Shin to give me enough room to back to my feet. I went left, Shin went right, we surrounded the man and put our guns away. The man quickly charged me with a punch, I myself can easily become like water when attacked like this. With very little effort, I moved to the side grabbing the man by the arm and throwing my body into his in order to flip him over my shoulder. This man wasn't as good as the rumors said. It was pathetic.

The man was nimble and strong. I'll give him that much. But as soon as he flipped up to his feet, I unsheathed my sword and pointed the tip at his adam's apple. I was tired of playing games with this creep so it was time to get my pay. "I give up! Don't kill me!" With a smirk, Shin grabbed the man and pinned him to the ground while slipping the cuffs on him. "Don Dangler, I suggest you come quietly." With that, Shin pulled the man to his feet while I sheathed my sword. Time to fill our empty wallets and get back to repairing my ship.

Faye's POV

"What do you mean Don Dangler has already been caught!" I screamed through the vid screen at Sheryl. "Sorry Faye but someone else already beaten us to it." Sheryl had been with us for about ten months. Me and Jet picked her and Janet up on Ganymede in the middle of a bounty. After that, our two parties grouped up. A group of four in one ship, if only we had a dog and it would be like the old times. Probably not, you can never replace Spike's calm attitude or Ed's child like personality.

"So Sheryl. Who was it this time?" I said landing my Redtail in front of the Airport. "The Blue Coyote and Red Dragon." "What!" I couldn't believe it! Not those two again! About nine months ago, two bounty hunters mysteriously appeared with Gabriel "Tombstone" Clayton, a man who's killed over a dozen other bounty hunters who tried to make a name for themselves. That guy had one of the highest bounties on his head, but, he was more trouble than what it was worth. Yet, he appeared on the doorsteps of the police station cuffed up with a note tied to him. The police did as the note said and left the payment in the account designated.

After that, the man had described the two hunters who caught him. One was wearing a blue suit and brown trench coat while the other was dressed in a red dragon syndicate uniform. Now, I know that the Red Dragon Syndicate was dissolved; hell, Spike was the one who dissolved it! So naturally I figured that it was some punk who just wanted to impersonate the mafia life he never had. Anyways, they were given the names Blue Coyote and Red Dragon. One after his suit and how quick the criminals say he is, the other after the syndicate his dress code resembles. It really pissed me off because those two kept catching all the big bounties on Mars. Hell, they even earned themselves a couple more nicknames like "Black Death" and "Untouchable".

"Dammit, Sheryl tell me some good news!" "Weeeell," Her voice held on the first word. I hate it when she does that. "Apparently we're going to staying on Mars for a while. Something about having to give the ship a tune up and upgrade some of its systems." "You're joking, right?" "Sorry Faye. Oh yeah, Janet is on her way to your location in the Mariner. You two are going to have to look for a place for us to live while the tune up is going." "Why can't we live in the ship?" I was getting very frustrated. Being kicked out of our ship for awhile! Today was getting worse and worse. "Because I said so! That's why. Now get your lazy ass moving and find us a place to stay!" I heard Jet scream out.

"How long are we staying?" I was getting frustrated. I really didn't mind getting kicked out of the ship, but, what I did mind was having to stay on Mars. "I dunno. Six months maybe?" Oh god, is he trying to make me seriously want to kill him? Because it sure as well was working!