Note: this chapter, like the original KILL BILL, is NOT told in Chronological Order. So, in order to understand you have to read the previous chapters.

The Lone Star Lodge

I arrived at The Lone Star Lodge just outside of Houston, Texas late that Saturday evening. I found out that The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, which disbanded well over a decade ago, still had rendezvous points all over the nation (even the world).

The first place that 'Snitch' led me to was the lodge. I didn't like the smarmy little bastard, but the underworld took his word as gospel. So far he hadn't led me wrong, and I got my new Hattori Honzo sword to show for it.

It was a quaint out-of-the-way little spot, totally unassuming. No one would suspect that killers-for-hire would choose something so low-key. Then again, maybe they would.

I hopped out of my red Honda civic and walked towards the entrance. The lodge resembled a beautifully styled ranch house. It was about three stories high, and had the loveliest white paint job. The beautiful picket fence was the same color. The lawn was healthy and green. For a moment I thought about the homes in my old Pasadena neighborhood. It got a little creepy when I saw that the porch was filled with Taxidermy animals,

Great, the owner is probably Norman Bates. Don't think that I'll take a shower here tonight, I thought.

I rapped on the door a few times before a super hot cowboy answered. He was about 6'4 with impossibly blue eyes, healthy tan skin, and the sexiest break-a-girl's-heart grin I had ever seen. Not to mention a body that would make the gods of Mount Olympus jealous. His blue flannel shirt was halfway open, revealing his muscular upper torso; and his blue jeans fit him just right. I had to keep myself from staring.

"Howdy, lil lady." He said, as he tipped his black cowboy hat to me.

My fantasy of cowboy lovin evaporated the moment he spoke. His accent was so thick it almost made him sound mentally challenged. None of the Texans I had met ever sounded like that. I started to ask him if he was faking.

I smiled, "Hi."

"I'm Tex, what's your name, pumpkin?" He asked.

"Melanie Harhouse..." I said, unable to think of a better name at that particular moment.

"Well, C'mon in. I assume you're here for room n board." He said, as he turned and swaggered away. He had a really nice butt too.

Tex opened the door and led me into the lodge. The place was very homey and lavishly decorated. Each room on the first floor had a different theme. The lobby was 'Home on The Range,' and it was decorated like an old 1800's frontier home. It was rather cozy. I looked into the other rooms, and some were inspired by Mestizo and Native American culture. Everything indigenous to the state of Texas could be found within the theme rooms.

"This is a really nice place you have here." I said.

"Why thank you, ma'am. I don't get a lot of guests down here so I keep the place up best ah can. Do you need a room?" He asked.

"Uhm, yeah, just for the night. Oh, before you do that I just had a question for you. Would you happen to know a woman named, Beatrix Kiddo? She and her associates used to reside in this hotel a lot, years ago." I asked, taking a wild shot in the dark. Snitch told me that Tex would know who I was talking about.

Tex looked at me and continued on like I hadn't said anything, "Well, I do have an opening...It'll be thirty dollars for the night, and there is an all you can eat buffet in the mornings." He said, as he leaned over the counter and smiled. For some reason I got the feeling that he was trying to flirt. He knew something, but he was sidestepping my question.

"Great, that's fine. I just needed to know if you knew Beatrix Kiddo-"

"Hey, if you want some dinner for the night that will cost a little extra. But, there are some fast food joints just up the road-" he furthered.

"Excuse me, but how many times do I have to ask you the same question!" I demanded, "A friend of mine said that the owner--I assume you--would know!"

"Okay, calm down, calm down." He said, "I just don't get a lot of customers around here. Sides, what do you want with Beatrix Kiddo?" he asked.

"So you do know her?"

"Yeah, you might say that. So who are you?"

"Someone who has business to discuss with her." I replied.

"Ah'll be right back." He said, in his thick Texas drawl.

He walked past me and went into the kitchen. I stood and waited in the lobby, next to the bar. My nerves were on edge. Could this finally be the lead that I had been searching for? God only knew how I was ready for it.

"You still in there, Melanie?" Tex called out from the kitchen.

"Yes." I said.

Suddenly, a loud gunshot erupted. I immediately dropped to the floor. The kitchen door fell under the might of the blast, and when I looked up there was Tex holding a sawed off double barrel shot gun! OH SHIT! I thought.

"Well girly, today is not your lucky day." Said Tex, all semblance of his southern drawl, gone. Tex hoisted the shot gun up again and took aim. But faster than that I leapt over the bar counter, just as another shot went off! Several of the liquor bottles burst open as the shattered glass sprayed over me. I shielded myself from the falling debris. When I opened my eyes I gasped in horror. The body of a very large man lie stuffed under the counter, his throat slashed. He wore a beige button down shirt, and stitched in red letters, on the front, read the word 'TEX.' I was not dealing with a lowly motel attendant, this was a trained assassin!

"Who in the fuck are you, pretty little bitch? Well, it won't matter. You'll be dead in a few minutes!" 'Tex' growled, as he cocked the shot gun again.

I knew I had to do something. I left my Honzo sword in the car, and all I had on me was a pocket knife. I picked up a full wine bottle and stayed hidden beneath the liquor counter. I heard Tex advancing. I bided my time. The room grew deathly silent. He was waiting for me, I could feel it. Suddenly I peeped above the counter, and gunshot came roaring towards me! I literally felt it whiz over my head! This time I defended myself. I hurled the wine bottle at my assailant, hitting him square in the face, "YOU FUCKING BITCH!" He cried out!

He fired off another shot into the air, and that is when I made my move!

I leapt over the counter and kicked the gun out of his hand! The gun had a hair trigger and went off the moment it hit the floor. I went for the gun, but Tex grabbed me by the hair and wrapped his muscular arm around my throat. I started gasping for breath. He had the strength of a raging bull. But, I was not without my own resources. I gave Tex a hard elbow in the stomach, causing his grip to loosen just enough. I stomped his left foot with my doc martens and hit him in the stomach with a turning back side kick. Tex grunted as He went reeling from the kick. After that the fight was on.

I started assaulting Tex with a combination of aerial kicks, but the motherfucker was fast. He ducked every single one of them!

"You gonna have to do better than that, little girl!" He said. Tex punched me in the stomach, hard! His fist felt like a wrecking ball! I fell to the floor. He came in for another attack but I countered with power kick to his midsection! I sprang back to my feet and went sailing through the air, leveling him with another flying drop kick! The blood flew out of his mouth before he hit the wall.

Tex was pissed. He obviously couldn't believe that a young girl was kicking his ass. He came back at me with several face kick attempts. I dodged them as best I could, but Tex ducked and leveled me with a sweep kick. He tried an axe kick, but I blocked his foot with my forearms; simultaneously kicking him hard in the balls and hitting him in the mouth with my other foot. Before he could fully recover I hit him with a flurry of rapid fire punches to the face! When he looked up I could tell he was surprised how badly they hurt.

He hadn't seen a damn thing yet.

I kept up my attack, but I started to overestimate myself. I got in too close, and Tex hit me with a hard backhand. My right eye felt like it wanted to pop out of the socket, as I hit the wall, hard. Several picture frames fell to the floor, as I went tumbling down. Before I could get up Tex nailed me with another punch, but the next one he tried I was ready. I blocked his second attempt and struck him with a chop to the nose bridge, shattering the bone!

He staggered, and that is when I went to work. I landed several flying spin kicks to his face and upper torso. He came back at me with three simultaneous face kicks, but I braced and blocked them all with my palms. When Tex got tired of kicking I took over for him. I hit him in the face with a hook kick, and then nailed him with a flurry of rapid fire face kicks. He staggered, and when he tried to wrap his hands around my throat I knew I had him. His grip was powerful, but I gave him a hard chop to the right temple. He was disoriented when he grabbed both my wrists. I lifted my leg above my head and kicked him in the face, again! Tex went crashing to the ground. When he fell I rushed and kicked him in the face again. After I knew he was done I went for the shotgun, and trained it on him, "Don't you fucking move!" I said. Now that the adrenaline rush had subsided I started to feel the pain. My body would be a walking bruise in the morning.

The fake Tex sat in the corner, bloodied and beaten, and stared at me with contempt.

"Who in the hell are you?" I asked.

He didn't say anything.

"Either say something or I'm going to perform a Coup De Grace by busting a cap in your sorry ass." I said, cocking the shotgun for added affect.

"I work for Kiddo." He said, wiping the blood from his broken nose.

"She sent you after me?"

"No, I got the tip from Snitch."

"That son of a bitch!" I said aloud.

The fake Tex laughed, "They call him Snitch for a reason. Money talks."

"Why are you after me?"

"I'm Ms. Kiddo's bodyguard. She hired me as insurance, just in case anyone ever came after her. After you talked to Snitch he called us all..."

"Us, who is us?"

"There are more. Before you get to her you have to go through them. You're good darlin, but not that good." He laughed.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"California, San Diego to be exact. Doesn't matter. You'll be dead before you reach her." he said

"Don't underestimate me. I have a score to settle. You tell your boss that The Mongoose is coming to pay her a visit."

Fake Tex laughed out right at that, "So you're the brave little Mongoose that is going to kill the Black Mamba."

"Damn straight...Now, I have a question for you." I said.

"Shoot, no pun intended." he retorted.

"If I let you live will you come after me again?"

"No. You have my word." He said.

I lowered the gun to my side and turned to walk out the door. As I advanced I heard the click of metal. I turned around and saw a large knife flying towards me. I shielded myself with the butt of the shotgun when the huge sog imbedded itself in it. Fake Tex was back on his feet!

"Eat lead you son of a bitch!" I screamed. I took aim and fired the shotgun. The bullet ripped through his chest and exploded out the back. The pristine white walls were painted crimson as the newly killed body slumped to the floor.

I shuddered. I had never killed anyone before. I just stared at the body for a moment. A wave of remorse swept over me. It was short lived. I was only defending myself. And after what he did to the poor man who really owned the place, the fucker had it comin.

I got back in my car and left the lodge.

"California here I come."