CHAPTER 2

The sun, choked by the thick clouds of the wastes, beat down in fragments on the land below, as if it was shone through broken glass. Wind kicked up dust, and loose shrubs tumbled in the wind. Catching Joe's coat, it lifted it slightly but the man himself stood stead fast. The rifle, now recognized as one that had taken many a villain's life, was gripped in one hand. The other lay at his side. He was a picture of stillness, the quiet before the storm. The man across from him, however, was not so. Shaking, but feebly trying to hide it, Joseph Cormack held his revolver with white knuckled tightness. His eyes darted to his companions, those who had not discreetly left the bar after Joe's reveal, but they offered no help; either out of contempt or genuine fear. Cormack didn't know. He licked his lips and spread his feet a bit wider. Gathering his courage, or what was left of it, he raised his voice and spoke to his soon to be combatant.

"What are you waiting for? Do something!"

Joe didn't respond at first, just stared flatly for a second. Pulling his hand up in front of him he showed Cormack the three fingers he held up. The air went dead still, and Cormack's heart began racing.

"You have 3 seconds to turn your self over"

Cormack's face spread into shock, eyes widening, but he quickly regained control and smirked. He raised his gun slightly, gripping it with both hands now, and cocked back the action. The sound of the bullet entering the chamber could be heard clearly in the empty silence, regardless of the near 20 feet between the men. The wind picked up again, blowing Joe's hat up into the air. It wafted upwards on an updraft but did not fly away.

Joe put one of his fingers down.

Cormack began laughing crazily, bearing his filed teeth. His tongue whipped around his mouth as he did so; it was small and thin like a snake. He yelled to the wind as much to Joe "What are you gonna do? Huh!? As soon as you make one move I'm gonna load you full of so much lead that it won't matter who you are! I ain't the one in trouble here, boy! You are! You craz-"

Joe lowered the last finger.

It all happened in an instant. Joe raised his gun, like a man in a blur, and in one hand he held the gun perfectly straight, poised like a man with a much smaller hand gun. In the time it took the cannibal to realize what was going on and rest his finger on the trigger, the bullet had already left the barrel. It whistled through the air, flying incredibly fast. It smashed into Cormack's forehead and his head cocked back in recoil, blood spurting from the massive wound. Following through, the bullet whistled off into the distance. Wafting down from above, Joe's hat started it's descent.

Cormack's body hit the ground just as the hat did, perfectly timed it seemed.

Joe holstered his weapon with a subtle flourish, and reached into his pocket for his cigarettes. Tapping the bottom to bring one to the top, The Regulator strode to the body, with his calculated steps. Reaching down, he retrieved his hat and put it on his head. Kneeling by the body, he retrieved the knife from his hidden location on his person and started to work.

The bag dropped onto desk with a small click. Sonora Cruz, leader of the Regulators, who was sitting with her hat over her eyes resting, raised the brim of her hat with on finger and observed the bag. Looking up, her eyes came to rest on the face of the man who was taking of his beaten hat.

"Joe, Nice to see you. Now as much as I love the little gifts, kitten, what is this?"

She asked, jokingly, as she precariously picked up the little bag, dangling it between her fingers. Little blood stains dotted the outside of the small burlap pouch, one of Joe's own creation for this very purpose.

"The teeth of Joseph Cormack" Joe said, pulling up a chair at the opposite side of the desk while placing his hat on the desk in question. He scratched his chin slightly and stared at the woman. She wasn't traditionally pretty, but she had a certain charm to her features, partly due to her roguish eyes. When around the lower downs, and when on duty, she was tough as nails: to the letter precision. But here, amongst old friends, she was still Sora, like she had been back in Rivet City when they were both kids. But that was a long time past. She opened the bag slightly and inspected inside, before letting it fall shut again.

"Very impressive" she said, reaching under desk for the locked draw. Sliding the key into the lock and twisting it was met with familiar click. Retrieving another small satchel, she locked the draw again and tossed it on the table.

"Here's the reward, plus part of your pay. Sorry but I can't get the rest of it to you until later. But I'll get it there" she said, her eyes wandering down to the little bag of teeth, that she quickly scooped up and deposited in the draw on the other side. Joe scooped up his pay and stood to leave. "Don't want to stay for a little while?" Sonora asked, taking her hat off her head. "Rest here for a bit before you go back out into the wastes. I gotta feeling that there's something big coming our way soon. I may need you around."

Joe turned his head on slightly to look over his shoulder at Sonora as he moved to leave the room. He paused in the door way.

"They don't rest. I don't rest"

He placed his hat on his head and left, closing the door softly behind him.