I'm sorry, I'm soooo soooorrry for taking sooooo long to update! My attention span once again died on me, and then my lazy procrastinating ass held it off even longer! And, not only that, but I've developed an alarming obsession with Fruits Basket, that may soon conquer my Trigun! Somebody bring in Wolfwood so he can save my body from the hazards of Furuba!

But, finally, my loves, I have returned! And thanks to a certain reviewer ((you know who you are!)) my quote-of-the-chapter is returning! As a note, this chapter is especially long, to make up for my absence. Another thing, I apologize if the beginning is like the last chapter, I was gone for so long I can't remember where I finished last, and my damn computer won't let me see chapter 10! ((sobs))

Anyways, read and enjoy! Your mistress has returned with an all-new installation!
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The Stampede had surprised her; she had never expected him to act that way. She had expected him to be more like a mix of Lucius, Eamon, and Vann: rough and rugged, dangerous, quick and fierce-tempered, and devilishly handsome. Well, the last part had been true, but dangerous? Rugged? Fierce-tempered? It was laughable! But she had seen his face, after he saved her and the others when they were jumped by the Snakes. He could have the face of a killer, as well.

The doors swung open, and Vann entered, Lucius close behind. They both carried hard, emotionless expressions that could tell her nothing, but she also saw that Lucius was somewhat directing Vann, and he was moving him away from where the Snake leader was tied. He was sending him downstairs, away from were he could snap and mangle this man, like he had the other. She watched them, as she knew the others were doing as well, until Lucius stopped at the top of the stairs, watching Vann go down. Then he turned back.

"Alex!" he called curtly. She nodded and stood.

"Yeah?"

"Where's Eamon bein' kept?" he asked. "I want our whole gang back, in case we missed some Snakes, and they try a comeback."

"But, Lucius, most of 'em are gone," Kett said. "Even if they tried a counter-attack, there ain't enough of 'em."

"They may have others backin' their asses," Lucius said darkly. That silenced Kett. The older outlaw looked at Alex. "So?"

"Yeah, I know where he is," she said. "I can lead you there--"

"You go," he replied, cutting her off sharply. "Take Gryff an' Soren with you. Be back as soon as possible, an' go as fast as you can, even if it means carryin' him."

Alex and the two named men nodded, then headed swiftly for the door. As soon as they were outside, Soren breathed a sigh. "I really didn't want to be in there when they tortured that man," he said quietly. They started down the street at a swift trot, letting her lead.

"Me neither," Gryff agreed hesitantly. He had been in the gang the longest out of the three of them, and therefore was expected to be the toughest, but his confession wasn't that surprising. Alex had suspected that not even Lucius felt like torturing the enemy leader, but she had no proof on that. They all fell silent as they used the shadows for cover.

This district of April City was used to gang battles; it had to be, because this was where all the territories sat. The wealthier, safer, and definitely smaller district was nearly half a mile away from this side of the city, and the two sides were divided by a Plant. Alex hadn't known that when she first arrived, thinking it to be all one city, that probably directed its energy from nearby Plants. But the tours given to her by other Coyotes, and information told to her as they played cards, taught her differently.

She had been told that at one time there were two sheriffs, one in either district. But the one in their side was killed as he tried to get between a gang skirmish, and the long history of lawlessness continued. Now no one even tried, and people who arrived in this side of the city were generally told about all this, and warned that they should go to the other side. The more she thought about it, she figured that when Vash, Wolfwood, Meryl, and Milly had arrived, they had probably come when another skirmish was going on, and when all the poor citizens of this side were hiding, as they were used to doing at least eight or nine times a day.

Alex came back from her thoughts to take measure of where they were, and found they were on the same street where "Vash and Company" had a rented house. In fact, they were standing not one house away from it. She picked up speed and was soon on the porch. She started to knock, but before her fist could connect with the door, it was dragged open, and Wolfwood, the priest, stood there, a cigarette between his lips. He looked at her, then at Soren and Gryff behind her, then nodded inside, and waved them in. She went in without wait, but the other two hesitated slightly.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" Wolfwood asked them. Alex glanced back, then turned and headed back for the door.

"C'mon, guys, we gotta get Eamon." She looked at Wolfwood, and he looked at her. There was a moment of silence, before Gryff and Soren's boots thudding against the floor tore her attention away. She motioned to the two, and headed for the room Eamon was kept in.
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"You know what's going to happen." Wolfwood took a long drag on his cigarette, held it for a moment, then blew it out in a large smoky cloud.

Vash glanced up at him. He sat with his head propped on his hands, elbows on his knees, and appeared to be thinking. "Yeah, I do," he replied quietly. "A lot of people are going to die."

"It's vengeance," Wolfwood said, with a slight air of bitter sarcasm sounding in his voice. "For them, it's, 'You try and kill my friend, I slaughter you.' That's the way it's always been for gangsters."

"I tried to stop him," Vash said softly, putting his face back in his hands. "I tried to tell Alex not to go do it. But he didn't seem to listen."

"By now, the entire enemy gang is probably gone by now," the priest said seriously. "That's probably what all that gunfire was about, a while back. They'll be coming to get their friend now, I bet." He paused, watching Vash carefully, while taking another drag on his cigarette. "You know, it's their way of life. You can't stop them from doing what they think is right."

"But it's wrong!" Vash said loudly, looking up again. "They're killing so many! So many lives are being taken! What about those who took no part in it? Why must they be punished as well?"

"Just the way it is," Wolfwood answered, his own voice quiet now. "Nothing you can do about it." He paused, then went to the window, taking out his cigarette and looking out into the night. He drew back, glancing at Vash. "They're coming now." He went to the door, popped his cigarette back into his mouth, before he yanked open the door. A briefly surprised Alex stood in the doorway, breathing quickly. Two others stood behind him, one looking tense and cautious, the other alert as he watched Alex, as if seeing what he would do first.

Wolfwood looked at the boy for a long time; he could see splatters of blood over him from head to toe, dry now, but no apparent wounds. Enemy blood. The others appeared the same. He sighed, then motioned for him to come inside. Immediately the boy swept past him, his arm brushing his with a whisper of cloth. The other two remained still on the steps, glancing at each other uncertainly.

"Are you just going to stand out there all day?" he asked, taking in their looks. Then Alex returned, an exasperated look on his face as he called them in. Wolfwood looked at him, and Alex returned the look, and the priest stared into his eyes. Again a strange feeling passed over him, as he realized something was amiss with the boy. He could also see the distant regret waiting within the dark brown depths, outlined with the garish crimson paint of splattered blood. The boy had killed that day; Wolfwood knew the feeling all too well.

Then Alex broke the connection, urgency to see his friend driving him on. He moved past him, and this time the two others followed quickly, tension in their bodies as they passed the taller, older man. Wolfwood watched them hurry after Alex into the bedroom where Eamon slept, then he returned to the main room, to find Vash in the same position as when he had left.

"They're here," he said, stating the obvious. Vash glanced up at him again, then nodded dully.
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Alex stood in the doorway of the room for a moment, staring at the man sleeping in the bed. Her chest was tight as she looked him over. After a moment she couldn't take it anymore, and she scrambled to the bed, kneeling next to the side. He slept on his side, and had such a serene, peaceful expression on his face, she just wanted to stare at him forever.

Then his eyes opened, slowly, and got wider, until the emeralds shone. "Alex?" he asked, then a brilliant smile broke his face. It wasn't the smile he used when flirting, or the smile he gave when in the middle of a fight, or even the smile he used when contradicting or being condescending to someone, but it was...strange. It was a smile given to her by Chris and Kara when they were really happy, and one she had gotten once from Vann when she had made him extremely proud of something she had done. Was that what a friend's smile looked like?

"Eamon!" she said, delighted and relieved. He sat up suddenly, and ran a hand through his messy, now unspiked dark brown hair.

"Gryff, Soren," he said to the two men who stood at the end of the bed. They were both smiling in relief as well. He looked around, and his eyes widened with an almost childish puzzlement. "Where am I, again?"

Alex was about to answer, but a brisk female voice took over. "In a safe place." Alex looked towards the door to see the short, raven-haired fierce Meryl standing there, one fist on her hip. Milly stood behind her, with a happy smile on her face.

"Oh, hey," Eamon said, looking towards the two women. "You were the two who took care of me an' Vann an' Alex? Thank you very much." He started to rise, before realizing he was half-naked, wearing only a pair of pants. He gave a sheepish smile to the women.

"Eamon, we've come to take you back," Alex said. "The Snakes've been wiped out, s'far as we can tell, an' we've captured the Snake leader. Vann went ballistic after what happened. Lucius wants you back, now."

A sudden anxious, urgent expression crossed his face, and he said quietly, "Oh, God, Vann, not again!" as he sought out his shirt. Gryff found his clothes in a neat pile on a desk and handed them to him. As Meryl and Milly left the room he dressed hurriedly, being filled in the whole time by the three of them. After that he hurried to the main room, looking still worried and urgent.

Vash was standing near one of the windows, while Wolfwood leaned against the wall. The women stood in the doorway of a different room.

"I thank you very, very, very much," Eamon said quickly, as he found his boots and started tugging them and tying up the laces. Alex wondered why he was acting so hasty. When he had gotten both boots on, he looked closely at Vash for a minute. He appeared about to say something, but he seemed to change his mind, and said instead, "For your hospitality, is there anythin' I can do to repay you?"

"Don't worry about it," Vash said. "We're just doing it for the knowledge we helped out." He smiled cheerfully. Alex looked at him sharply, catching the look of the smile. He was faking it, she could tell quite clearly; her eyes slid over to Wolfwood, who was watching them silently, his face showing no emotion.

Eamon turned and said to Alex, as he moved towards the door, "So, what has Vann done?"

"He freaked and went on a killing spree," Alex replied, following him. Suddenly, Eamon stopped, clutching at his chest and wincing in pain. "Eamon?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm--fine," he said. He looked up, and they followed his gaze. Meryl and Milly had started towards them upon seeing Eamon in pain. He gave them a brilliant smile. "Don't worry, ladies. This is nothin' for me, all in a day's work."

An angry, exasperated look crossed Meryl's face. "Idiots, all of you!" she snapped, causing them to freeze. "You know, Eamon, you're too weak to leave yet. You're injuries have barely healed at all, and already you're trying to throw yourself back into action!"

"I'm sorry, lady," he said. His voice had gained a serious tone, changing him from his usual joking self to all business. "I need to get back to my friends before worse happens."

"More than what already has happened?" Vash said quietly. Alex glanced at him, while the others reached the door and started leaving. He looked at her, and there was a hardness to his eyes, startling her slightly.

She paused, hesitated, then said quietly, "Look, Vash. I'm not repentin' what I did. I will feel regret soon, but it was for my gang--my family. No matter how wrong it was, what's gotta be done just gotta been done." With that, she bolted out the door after the others, who were already jogging up the street.

When they reached the Red Ice, Eamon was immediately surrounded, and everyone began asking him what happened, until Lucius broke them apart.

"Eamon," he said quietly. "Don't you ever worry us like that again. This time we thought you were gonna die for sure."

Eamon's face was hard and serious, but a daredevilish light flickered suddenly in his eyes, before they hardened as well. "Don't you worry, mate," he said lightly. "I've got Lady Luck on my side, and though she can be a bit moody at times, she'll always bear me through." He paused, looked around, then asked evenly, all joking gone now, "Did any Coyotes die?"

"Kale 'n' Zad were shot before it all happened, while ev'ryone's out on patrol. Renn was taken, but we found her again. She's down with Leah an' Vann. Other than that, we just had a few injuries on the hunt. As they've prob'ly told you, we got the Snakes leader hostage. They were playin' with him a bit." He made a motion to the far-back post where the bloody, broken body of the leader dangled. Alex caught herself from flinching; they had played with him brutally.

"A'right, then," Eamon said, taking control. "All injured will be taken downstairs, where Renn, Leah, an' their mates can heal 'em. I want two guards to watch th' Snake at all times, an' they can trade off if needed. Vann will stay downstairs as well, until he's relaxed enough. Lucius, Gryff, Alex, an' Thom, we'll discuss...plans."

Everything was taken care of after that. All the injured Coyotes were fixed up, Vann stayed downstairs without complaint, the guards stayed in place, and Eamon and his selectees made plans. The Snake leader was tortured enough to be near death; tomorrow they would take him into the desert, blindfolded and with his hands bound, and release him out there. Eamon knew that that was the least they could do to him, compared to what Vann wanted to do.

And with that, the Red Hill Coyotes went to an uneasy sleep.
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Chee, you like? I like...
As promised! But I give you, not one, but TWO quotes-of-the-chapter!

"Don't drink and drive; you might spill your beer."

"Giving power and money to a government is like giving liquor and car keys to teenage boys."

And the next chapter should come sooner.
P.S. My shirt smells like pancakes!

:) Wolf