The Bounty and the Briefcase (Cattlepunk) [WIP]

23 - The Collision

Alo turned a corner and walked into the town square. The cheering came at him full force, and Wendell stood at the podium, gripping the sides tightly.

As Alo made his way around the thrilled mass of townspeople, he noticed that Wendell's face remained stern as ever, yet there was a hint of pride somewhere on it.

Once he reached the platform, he placed the detonator down on it, then turned up and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Wendell! Wen-dell!" Alo's voice was quickly snatched up and drowned by the hollering. He groaned and dug his hand into his trouser pocket, pulling out a brown bottle cap. Without hesitation, he tossed it at Wendell's head, and the man flinched, then looked down at the bartender.

He leaned over the podium and stared downwards at Alo. "What is it?" he shouted.

Alo simply stuck up a thumb, and Wendell nodded in acknowledgement. He then looked at his watch, and Alo did the same. 11:55.

Five minutes until the WSU workers arrived. Everything seemed to be in place. Well, not exactly.

"Do you know where Martin is?" Wendell read his mind.

Alo pulled out his flask, shouting back up, "Probably still at the mayor's place." He took a drag. If something went wrong, and he got shot, the alcohol would dull the pain.

"Go look for him." Wendell said back down, an eyebrow raised at him.

Alo wiped his mouth and groaned, replacing the flask. He was the one running around everywhere. If only Vanessa hadn't...

"Where's Vanessa though?" he tried. Of course, it wouldn't be chivalrous to make a woman run about, but she probably deserved it at this point.

"Nowhere to be seen. Martin thinks she flaked out on us."

He shook his head. Vanessa couldn't have. She didn't seem like the kind of person who would do something like that. But then again, she was British. Villains, always stroking their long, thin mustaches. Or was that the French?

It didn't matter. He shook his head once again turning in the direction of the mayor's office.

But he didn't even have to move, as the group of deputies approached him, carrying lots of guns. Like, lots.

Not again. But then Alo realized that they weren't coming for him. Led by Martin, they walked past him, through the parting crowd, and up to the podium. Alo quickly followed.

"We have guns." Martin raised a pistol over his head.

Right away, the townspeople began to murmur. It looked like Wendell had forgot to tell them about that.

Wendell waved his arms, and the murmuring stopped. He leaned over the podium and down to the group of deputies and the sheriff. "How many?"

"Like, 25, excluding ours," Martin replied.

So Wendell began to call names, and men and women made their way through the crowd, receiving their guns. Wendell literally knew everybody. Whereas Alo still had to think for a second when calling Martin's name to mind.

When Wendell finished, they had their army. 35 people, miners and deputies. They would fare quite well against the WSU's party of... around ten, Wendell had said.

Alo leaned in to Martin. "Why do we got a few extra hands?"

"Can't be too careful," he replied simply, arms crossed. He turned to look up at Wendell. "Should we go and tell Fra--"

But he didn't finish his sentence; rather, he trailed off as the noise of galloping horses resounded throughout the town streets square.

The WSU party turned a corner and entered the sight of the entire town. Alo could actually feel the air grow heavier, the tension stretching through the crowd.