By A Shot of Amber
Session 19: Fiesta at the Mardi Gras
" Howdy folks! It's time for Big Shot!"" The show where we tell you all about the big bad crooks out there!"
Spike sat up from his position on the couch so he could watch Big Shot.
" So what's the news this week Punch?" Judy turned towards her co-host with her hands clasped in front of her.
" Shucks howdy, we have a new one to tell all you buckaroos about. It seems that there is a bomber out on the loose."
" A bomber? Ooo sounds scary!" Judy shivered in mock fear.
" It sure is Judy, it seems this man is wanted for the all time price of 2.5 million woulong." Punch held up two fingers in front of the screen while Judy looked confused.
" But that doesn't sound like much to me Punch honey."
" Well it is a lot when you think about it Judy, he's a wanted man by the government for terrorizing the people of Venus. But remember you must catch him alive and undamaged."
" If you kill him then you get no money," Judy shrugged her shoulders and looked sad.
" So good luck all you cowboys!"
Spike yawned and turned off the TV. There was no point in watching this anymore.
" How much?"
" How much was what?" Spike asked looking behind him.
Jet walked into the carrying a machine part splattered with oil. " The bounty, I heard the Big Shot music playing in here."
" It wasn't much just 2.5 million for some mad bomber." He turned back and draped his arms over the back of the couch.
" We'll take it, we need all the money we can get."
" I'm not interested in wasting my time on trying to catch some guy that's not even worth much."
" Fine then I'll do it myself. We need the money, we've been stuck here on Venus for too long." Jet heaved the machine up so he had a better grip on it.
" Yea well it wasn't my fault for not stocking up on fuel or money."
" And its not going to be your reward when I nab this guy and bring home some cash." Jet walked past Spike and out of the room.
" So how much is this guy worth?" Faye slipped one leg over the other side of the table and straddled it so she could get a better look at the computer screen.
" 2.5 million woulong," Jet replied without even looking up.
" Doesn't seem like much to me for some guy who tries to kill people by blowing up bombs."
" That's because he's messy. He would be worth more if he used a cleaner way of getting rid of people." Spike lit a cigarette and blew out a stream of smoke. " If he did something like releasing poison into the drinking water then he would be worth more since that is a deadly way to kill.
" You sure seem to know some creative ways to kill off people." Faye replied turning towards Spike.
" It's not that hard Faye, the ideas are endless."
Faye blinked in thought then turned back to the computer screen just as Jet brought up the government file on the mad bomber.
" Here it is, Noelle Conte." He said enlarging the picture.
" Noelle? Isn't that a girls name?" Faye asked scrunching up her eyebrow in confusion.
" Apparently not. Noelle Conte, age 27, wanted for bombing the festival bombings on Uropia, Mars, and Venus."
" So he's been here before?" Spike leaned forward to see the screen.
" Apparently so, he's already killed over 200 hundred people by detonating large amounts of explosives in public places during festivals when there is large amounts of people around." Jet scrolled down the screen and continued to read except silently now.
" Maybe he just doesn't like people." Faye pointed out.
" Or maybe he doesn't like festivals." Spike stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets.
" If he doesn't like festivals then why does he try killing people during them?" Faye looked up at Spike's retreating back.
" Maybe because the people are in the way." Spike disappeared into the kitchen.
" Yea right, why don't you try thinking with your head for once." Faye turned back towards the computer screen.
" Looks like basically we have to be two steps ahead of this guy in order to catch him." Jet clicked on another button for more information on the guy.
" So how do you propose we do that?" Faye asked.
" I'll call an old friend of mine and you and Spike can go out and hunt up some clues." Jet replied crossing his arms over his chest.
" That is if Spike wants to help us out on this." Faye replied dryly.
" Then you'll go alone and Spike gets no money. I'll call Bob and you go out searching, I want to find this guy before anyone else does."
" Alright, I'm out of here." Faye stood up and walked out of the room towards the hanger.
" So how's the bounty hunting going?" Ivy looked up from her book to see Faye and Jet walk into the room.
" It's not going at all, Bob was unable to give me any clues." Jet sighed and sat down in a chair."
" I wasn't able to find much else either. I swear the people on Venus must be incredibly stupid. No one has any idea about this guy, all they want to talk about is this big Mardi Gras like festival."
" A festival?" Ivy closed her book and set it down on her lap. " They're having a festival here?"
" Yea in about three days, it's supposed to be this big annual thing that lasts for a week. If you ask me it's just some bland excuse for everyone to go out and get drunk." Faye sat down on the table and crossed her legs.
" Sounds like fun," Ivy replied sarcastically.
" Well everyone else is having fun we're stuck here trying to figure out where this guy could be. Damn it for all I know he could be anywhere in this galaxy." Jet slammed his fist onto the table making Faye jump.
" You don't think he could be here on Venus?" Ivy asked looking down at Jet's fist then up at him. " Faye just said they are going to be having a big festival so he might be coming here. A lot of people will be there so it's the perfect place for him."
" Why would he be on Venus? He was here already and he wouldn't come back to the same place twice. It's not the criminal style." Faye shook her head to dismiss Ivy's idea.
" I would have to agree with Faye, they already know about him here so there is no way he would come back to a place he's been to before."
" It was just a thought," Ivy stood up and walked out of the room to go to her room. She had decided she needed a nap.
" So how's the bounty hunting going?"
" Terrible, we have nothing." Jet continued to type on the computer while Spike lounged near by on the couch.
" I kind of figured that, you and Faye haven't looked to cheerful today."
" How can we? We haven't found a single clue on this guy."
" Really? Nothing?" Spike cracked open one eye.
" All we were able to find was some petty clues that doesn't lead us to anything." Faye walked into the room and plopped down on the couch. " I swear I'm getting to old for this."
Spike and Jet did not reply but instead went back to their respective places. Jet continued to type on the computer while Spike closed his eyes and drifted in and out of reality.
" Hey Jet."
Everyone perked up and looked over at the screen where Bob's face appeared.
" Bob, you got anything for me?"
" Yea, I just found some stuff on the guy. It seems he is predicted to appear at the festival they are holding out on Venus in a few days. The government and the ISSP jut got some message from his saying that they better watch their backs because when they least suspect it he will strike."
" What are they going to do about it?" Jet rested his arm on his knee and looked forward into the screen.
" The usual crap, you know post a lot of guards around and make a few security checks on suspicious people." Bob took a swig of his coffee and continued. " They say he always dressed in disguise when he sets the bomb."
" Well that's not going to help. This is supposed to be a big costume party! Everyone is going to dress in disguise." Faye mussed.
" Yea but his costume will be pretty noticeable. It seems that he always wears a black cloak and a mask over his eyes."
" You mean like a phantom?" Faye asked.
" Yea something like that, you just have to be careful. He dresses in disguise and carries a small black box no bigger then my hand. He usually leaves the box hidden under something big like a float then runs off. When the box is triggered by anything that movement it explodes with enough force to take out whatever is within 200 feet of it."
" Sounds dangerous." Jet stroked chin and smiled.
" It also sounds like fun," Spike replied. " So when do you think he will appear next?"
" Probably at the opening day festival since they have the parade that day. The place will be full of people and floats. It's the perfect place to set a bomb."
" Then we'll be there two steps ahead of the guy. The 2.5 million woulong is ours." Jet clasped his fist and smiled in victory.
" Just be careful not to get yourself blown up Jet." Bob clicked out and the screen went blank.
" Oh I will be careful all right." Jet turned off his end of the connection and stood up. " Looks like we are headed for a party."
" Oh great I have to go carousing around a bunch of drunken idiots looking for the lone phantom." Faye sighed placing her chin in her hands.
" Have fun Faye, just don't let any drunk guys try and pick you up. I would hate to see their reaction to you when they get sober again." Spike replied grinning slyly.
" Shut up," Faye replied giving him a dirty look.
" Don't worry Spike you can go to the festival and protect her. I'm sure we don't want to give anyone any problems incase their crazy enough to try and pick up Faye."
" Ha, ha, very funny. Now if you all are done picking on me I'm getting out of here." Faye stood up and walked out of the room.
" I don't know Jet, I don't think I'm up for having to protect someone like Faye. Lets just let the men have her and well catch the bounty." Spike grinned up at Jet.
" It would be nice, but we need her to help us out so I guess we have to keep her." Jet replied.
" Damn, and I thought all my wishes of Faye leaving would finally come true." Spike sighed.
" I heard that!" Faye yelled poking her head back into the room and giving them a dirty look before disappearing again.
" So what are we searching for again?" Ivy pulled the communicator closer to her ear so she could hear better.
" A man dressed like a phantom. He'll be wearing all black and he'll be around the floats." Jet yelled back, in the background the sounds of voices drowned out his voice.
" Like that is going to help me." Ivy looked around her at the people dancing in the streets. " I don't even know where to begin searching!" She turned off the communicator and slipped it back into her pocket. There wasn't much else to do except walk through the crowds and search with her eyes.
Everyone who had come to the festival that day was dressed in some kind of costume. The crew of the Bebop was no different. Jet had put on an old hippie outfit he had complete with long wig and love beads. Faye wore a slinky red dress and a pair of devil horns. Ivy had decided to be Faye's opposite and went as an angel complete with what she thought was a rather short white dress, wings, a silver halo and a blond wig that made her laugh every time she saw her reflection. Spike had gotten a weird look in his eyes when he first saw her but he only hide it behind a smile and starting teasing her about the whole angel get up and how it suited her innocent personality. Spike had refused to dress up in anyway and only wore a purple mask, which he said was enough for him.
Now here at the festival the four of them had split up in different directions to try and find this guy. Ivy craned her neck to look over the heads of the people in front of her but she couldn't see anything. Suddenly she felt a hand running up her bare leg and underneath her dress. With a flash of white, Ivy spun around and grabbed the man's offending hand.
" Keep your dirty paws off me asshole." She growled tightening her grip on his wrist.
" What's wrong honey? It's party time! Loosen up and have some fun! If you want I can make you a fallen angel really fast." The man replied in a slightly drunken slur. He was middle aged and portly with a five o'clock shadow and a full-grown mustache stained and reeking of alcohol.
" Thanks but no thanks." Ivy dropped his wrist and walked off muttered some curses underneath her breath.
Hopefully everyone else was doing better.
Faye smiled and smiled at another man checking her out. Damn she did look good in this devil costume. It seems to hug her every curve in red leather. Already she had been covered in beads and she hadn't even done anything! Men just came up to her slipped strings of colorful beads around her neck, a few stray hands finding themselves running over curves. Faye would then gently back them off with her pitchfork and walk on shaking her head seductively. Now she searched through the crowds milling close around the floats. So far, the only suspicious characters in black capes she had seen were busy drinking themselves drunk in front of the local bars. From what Faye could see, none of them could possibly the bomber, they were all to drunk to even stand up straight let alone have the capability to set up a bomb.
Hopefully Jet and Spike were doing better then her.
Jet tried to push through a group of people in front of him but so far, none of them would move. This whole thing was getting to him. When he got back to the bebop the first thing he was going to do was going to get good and drunk and put on some Miles Davis.
Jet finally gave up and turned around to find a different route out of the crowd. He couldn't really see anything. The crowds of people were to think for him to do much investigating.
" Nice costume big boy," a seductive voice said to him from near his elbow.
Jet turned to look down into the doughy make-up covered face of a rather obese lady dressed in red satin and feathers.
" What say you and me go back to my boudoir and have a little party?"
" Uh…I…" Jet begin to back up while trying to think of a polite way to say no to her. The fat lady in red just stepped forward crowding up closer to him. One hand brushed up against his T-shirt drawing circles over the tie-dye.
" What do you say? I can show you a real good time." The smell of whiskey was on her breath and seemed to cling around her along with the musty scent of her perfume.
" I really don't think, um madam, I think…" Jet began again trying to think of a polite way to say no. The fat lady in red didn't seem to be listening though, she had one hand holding on tightly to his upper arm while the other traced lines and circles over the cloth of his shirt running ever closer downwards.
Lost for words, Jet did the only thing he could think of. He turned and fled, pushing himself through the crowds of people. The fat lady in red was not deterred; she just smiled and took off after him intent on catching her man.
Spike fought the urge to yawn and pull out a cigarette. He hated this, the loud music coming from every direction, the noisy crowds with their stupid beads and the confetti that kept raining down. He swore he would be washing little bits of paper from his hair for weeks. Already he had been flashed by a dozen womyn who were probably a little to drunk for their own good. That wasn't to bad but it still wasn't enough to make him feel like he was having a good time.
Spike pulled off his mask and stuck it in his pocket. There was no point in wearing it anymore. No one seemed to notice his lack of costume; they were all too busy getting drunk and acting like a bunch of damn fools. He was absentmindedly thinking about the rest of the bebop crew and how they were doing when a flash of black caught his eye. Spike began walking, a slow smile spreading on his face as he saw the black clock floating behind the person.
" Bingo."
Jet looked behind him and confirmed his worst fear. The fat lady in red was still after him. She had that bloodthirsty look of a hunter out for it's prey and he could only begin to wonder who her prey was. Jet groaned and tried to run a little faster, pushing though people without even saying sorry. He was in to much of a hurry to be polite when he saw Spike up ahead walking nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets.
" Yo Spike!"
Spike turned towards the sound of Jet's voice calling out his name to see Jet running towards him followed by a rather obese womyn dressed in sweaty red satin.
" Jet?" He asked as the older man came to a breathless stop in front of him.
" You've got to save me, that fat lady over there wants to make me her love child." Jet gasped.
Spike fought off the urge to laugh and shook his head. " I would love to help you man but I have Noelle in my sight."
" What you found him?" Jet stood up straight ignoring the cramp in his side.
" Yep, and he's headed towards the floats just like Bob said."
" Then let's go, we need to head him off before he sets off the bomb. Have you gotten a hold of the girls?"
" Nope," Spike shook his head in reply. " Looks like they are going to miss out on this one."
" Oh big boy!" The fat lady in red waved one hand and ran over to them.
" Crap she found me!" Jet took off running leaving behind a confused Spike.
" Why are you running my love? I'll show you a good time tonight!" The fat lady ran past Spike also and disappeared into the crowd.
" Okay, I guess I'll get the bounty myself." Spike headed off to where he had seen the figure in black disappear too.
Her heartbeat faster as she looked around to make sure the coast was clear then ducked behind the large float. It was quieter here; the access amounts of tissue paper and flowers muffled out the sounds of music and people laughing. She dropped down to her knees and looked around again, the coast was still clear. No one around to disrupt her work. Carefully she pulled out a small black box and reached underneath the float, they should be around here somewhere, she had installed them herself. Ah! There they were! Carefully she slid the black box underneath the float and connected it to the bottom of the float.
Now all she had to do was get out of here before the bomb went off.
" Are you going somewhere Noelle Conte?"
Noelle found herself looking straight into the barrel of gun being held up to her face.
" How did you find me?" She asked.
" It wasn't very hard, I just had to keep my eye out for a person dressed in black headed near the floats," Faye replied.
" Very clever but now you have to find out a way to turn off the bomb, or else you and I and everyone around here will be blown up."
" That shouldn't be to hard. Ivy?"
" Nope it's not even turned on yet. It looks like you have to set it off by pressing a remote button that is outside of the bomb." Ivy shimmied out from underneath the float and dusted herself off.
" Where's the remote Noelle?" Faye asked in a menacing voice.
" You mean this?" Noelle pulled out a small black controller with a single red button on it.
" Give it to me." Faye held out her hand to accept the remote.
" I could do that, but then my plan wouldn't be complete." Noelle moved one finger over the button was about to press the button when something touched her neck and shot a needle into her skin. Noelle froze then fell unconscious to the ground. The remote fell out of hands and landed at Faye's feet. The button was still up right; she hadn't set off the timer on the bomb.
" Sorry, but you won't be completing your plan today." Ivy tossed a small metal object into the air then caught again.
" Looks like all we have to do is call the boys and collect our bounty." Faye put her gun away and picked up the remote device.
" It does feel good to know that we won this one." Ivy replied looking down at the figure lying on the ground.
" What I can't believe is that this Noelle person was girl." Faye stretched her arms over head and adjusted the sleeves of her red sweater. " It just doesn't make sense."
" Of course it does Faye. Think about it, Noelle wanted to be accepted and beautiful so she competed in beauty pageants hoping she would be crowned a queen." Spike replied.
" You mean like a beauty queen?" Ivy asked.
" Yea, she wanted to be the beauty queen, the princess and ride on the float and be recognized for her beauty. Then every time she lost she would set up a bomb on the float that the winner would ride on and when the float started moving the bomb went off killing the winner and anyone near her."
" So basically she was just a jealous beauty queen wannabe?" Faye sighed resting her head on her hand.
" I guess so," Ivy replied then looked around. " By the way where is Jet?"
" He's out with Madam Rose, the queen of the festival also known has the fat lady in red." Spike replied unable to hide the grin on his face.
" The fat lady in red?" Faye asked looking confused.
" Don't ask," Spike shook his head and laughed. " She choose Jet has her king as her king and dragged him off with her. Who knows when we'll see him again."
" Wow, poor Jet. I hope he can escape soon. We wouldn't want to loose him to his fat lady in red." Ivy replied getting up from the couch and walking out of the room.
In All of Us, We Are Beauty Queens…Jet: I have nothing to say about the next episode. I don't care anymore. The next episode is "Scattering Myself to the Wind."
Please remember to read and review or send all comments, questions, suggestions, and flames to . Thank you!