Every chapter, I've decided, I will question where I'm going with this.

Today, I don't know.

Tomorrow... We'll see.

Chapter One

The sun was up. The birds were singing. It was a beautiful day to crack some heads, if that was what you did with your time.

Or, if you were Teresa Wah, it was a beautiful day to get your head cracked. All Teresa had wanted to do that morning was complete the errand her father had assigned her; going to the well in the middle of the village to fetch a pail of water. But the universe had other plans.

She'd been calmly drawing up the water, minding her own business, when out of nowhere, two boys came barreling down the hill, sacks of something slung over each of their shoulders. They showed no signs whatsoever of slowing down, so Teresa had been forced to leap out of their way and nearly smashed her head on the well doing it. Her peace intruders had gone on with their mad dash without so much as a "hello" or "excuse me" to her. She hadn't thought anything of it until a few minutes later, when the sheriff's two deputies came around the same way.

Oscar and Morris were slower in their entrance, and had arrived with the clear intention of stopping to talk with Teresa. She had not been at all interested in doing that this morning; both brothers constantly tried to woo her into romance with them, but in the most creepy of ways, like stalking her when she did chores and going for kisses even though she never sent any signals. To avoid the two brothers, Teresa had done the only thing she could think of.

She'd run right after the two thieves they'd been after.

In hindsight, this wasn't a smart decision, but the reality of the situation hadn't hit Teresa until she was locked up in jail. Morris and Oscar, seeing her run after the thieves, had pegged her as an accomplice, so she'd been arrested shortly after they were.

As she sat in the cell, staring at the stone floor and worrying about what her father was going to say when he discovered the trouble she was in, the darker-haired of the pair turned to her. "So what're you in for?"

She gave him a disbelieving look. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Well, no."

The oblivious guy's ginger companion offered, "Sheriff seems ta think she's with us, Finchy."

"Why the hell d'they think that?"

"Yer guess is as good as mine," Teresa remarked. "All I did was run from the deputies."

"Gee," said Finchy, "I wonder why that made 'em think you was a troublemaker like us."

"They know perfectly well I ain't one! I live in this town!"

"Ooh, lucky you," the redhead smirked at her. "Ya got a nice life."

"Bet yours is more exciting, seein' as you're on the lam all the time."

"Believe me, you's got it better than us."

"And what makes you think that?"

The redhead surveyed Teresa, taking in her slightly patched dress and neatly brushed hair. "Ya look pretty well off ta me. I s'pose ya got yerself a mudda'?"

"No, actually I don't."

"Okay, how 'bout a fadda'?"

"Why're you askin'?"

"Well do ya?"

"...Not exactly."

Finchy questioned, "He missin' or somethin'?"

"No no," answered Teresa "He's around. But he hardly qualifies as a father, at least if ya ask me."

"Wouldja look at that," the ginger boy marveled, patting his friend on the back. "She does got problems jus' like ours."

Finchy nodded, before explaining to Teresa, "I got a motha' just like yer fatha', and Al here's got about the same as you."

"Intriguing." Teresa turned toward the space outside the metal bars, wondering aloud, "Can we get outta this cell now?"

"Ya mean yer fatha' ain't comin' ta bail ya out?"

Even though it was a joke, Teresa scoffed, "Not if I can help it."

"You got a name?" Al asked as he left the wooden bench they had all been sharing, crouched down on the floor, and reached through the bars to start picking the lock on the outside of the cell.

"Teresa. Terry."

"Got any special skills?"

Teresa eyed the slingshot sticking out of Finchy's pocket. "I can shoot."

"Oh yeah?" Finchy handed her the slingshot, along with a small pebble from the floor. "Let's see ya in action then." He pointed outside the cell's tiny barred window, towards where Morris and Oscar were standing guard at the building's doors. "Take out those goons."

"With pleasure." Walking up to the small window, Teresa positioned the pebble, drew back the slingshot's band, and let it loose. The rock sailed easily threw the bars, traveling rapidly through the air until it finally collided with the ear of Oscar, who, it's important to note, was not standing closest to the jailed trio.

"Ow!" Oscar screeched upon impact, turning to his brother, who to his knowledge was the only person likely to have hit him. "The hell was that?"

Morris' hands flew up in protest. "I ain't done nothin'."

In response, Oscar reached over and flicked his brother's ear. "Ya done somethin' now?"

"Ow! Whatcha do that for?"

"'Cause ya jus' did da same thing ta me, ya idiot."

"I toldja, I ain't done nothin'!"

"Yeah ya did!"

"Wanna bet?" Morris lunged at his brother, and within seconds, the two were wrestling on the ground.

Teresa returned her attention to Finchy, thoroughly pleased with her own work. He was staring at her, open-mouthed, as if she were the most accomplished being to have ever walked the earth. Finally, rather than praise her, he turned to his friend.

"Albert, ya got that door unlocked?"

Dusting off his hands, Albert stood up. With a flourish, he swung open the cell door. "Afta' you, Finch Hood."

"No matta' how much ya try, I ain't gonna start callin' ya 'Little Albert'." Finch stepped out of the cell.

Albert followed suit, whining, "Aw man, c'mon! We just got a girl! She could be Maid Teresa! It'd be perfect!"

"No. Just no."

Privately, Teresa agreed with Finch's statement, but she didn't say so. Instead she opted to trail after the boys, observing as they snuck out of the jail, checking and double checking for other guards on the way. They only made one stop on their way out, to retrieve their stolen goods from the front room. Glancing out the doors to ensure Morris and Oscar were still fighting, Finch finally acknowledged Teresa's presence again.

"Ya know you's coming wit us, right?"

"Sure, if you'll have me."

"Hell yeah we will!" Albert cheered, and got himself shushed by Finch.

Once it was certain that the bickering brothers hadn't heard the exclamation, Finch looked back to give Teresa a smile. "Welcome ta the team, Sniper."

Finch Hood was just too perfect of an idea. I had to use it.

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