Dawn and Bullets

40 MPH

Artemis drove without much if any mercy. Dawnden found it practically life-threatening to engage in a conversation when the limousine he was trapped in was already about to kill him. Still, Apollo and Vost chatted over wine like the car wasn't drifting around every possible corner. "And then I slammed my deck onto the table, and that poor sucker was shocked! I'm pretty sure that kid was in denial. Either way, back to the first floor with him," Apollo bragged. "Do you gamble, Dawnden?"

Vost chimed in before Dawnden, saying, "He's a bounty hunter, he gambles everyday. But there's no way our boy scout puts chips on a physical table."

"My rok goes to charities. I certainly don't waste it like you idiots."

Vost chuckled. "Yeah. And as a result, you've been wearing those clothes for what, four years? I'm out here getting to dress like a king!" he announced with one leg resting over the other.

"Being the king of drunks - what a title."

"I was going to say king of the arena," Vost countered with a paw on his blade.

"King of swords, king of wine, king of gold - Vost has it all," Apollo bragged, and then proceeded to empty his glass.

The cat rolled his eye. "Yes, Apollo, you flatter me," he said with a slight hint of disdain that the doctor was too occupied with drinking to notice. "So, Dawnden, what are you the king of?"

"I don't have the right to dub myself as a king."

"Ah, perfectly in character." Vost admired. "I wonder, would you be the king of the bounty hunters? Or maybe, king of the miserable?"

"Come again?"

"Tsk, come on, Dawnden. Don't tell me you're actually happy."

"I am happy! Why do you keep bringing this up?"

"Because by all means, a guy like you should be miserable, right?"

"I'm very much happy. I'll be even happier once I get out of here," Dawnden answered while tightening his seatbelt and bracing himself for another bump.

"That's not likely," Apollo suggested, his glass set aside. "I'm a doctor, so I may or may not know what I'm talking about."

"Do you want a medal?" Dawnden cut.

"How much rok do you have in your pockets right now?"

"Enough to buy me a good glass of water, so enough."

"I see you're tight on money."

"No, I'm-"

"Let me guess; you spent your rok on charity?" Apollo speculated.

Dawnden folded his arms. "Yes, and I don't regret it."

"If you don't mind me asking, what have you spent the last month doing exactly?" the doctor requested.

Vost assumed, "Claiming bounties, right?"

"Yep. From the last 30 days, I guess about 27 of them were about me dragging in crooks like you two."

"Impressive," Apollo granted.

Leaning forward and sounding bitter, Vost added, "Yeah, they were my guys."

Dawnden raised an eye. "What's that?"

"They were all men bringing in money for me. Dabledug seriously felt a sting when you arrested Dylan Tar."

Dawnden shot up. "That's how you built Dabledug so quickly! You're taking money from criminals!"

"Taking sounds like I'm stealing rok from them. No, Dabledug was built more with 'public donations' than anything else."