Chapter 22: THE BOUNTY HUNTERS [PART THREE]

“Help…” The young woman barely chokes out.

Jac squeezes her cheek, pressure to slowly seeping liquid. Voice quiet against fire, back against a searing hot truck tire. “Gods don’t talk. Y-you’ll be fine, bleeding’s already slowing.”

Wide eyes against the five suns above, a dying wish sent to a godless world.

“ANYONE HAVE MEDICAL TAPE?!” Jac screams out.

A reply from a familiar verbiage, three trucks away a fellow member of his gang raising his voice. “Yeah! You ok Jac?!”

“Mari’s hit!” He yells back. “Can you get to me?!”

“The one from the Geyser Gang?!”

“Yeah!”

A short sigh, the comrade replying. “I’ll try man!”

The young man peaks over the side of cover; between the two positions nearly thirty feet of open ground. A deep breath, body lunging forth into motion as he sprints towards the far truck with medical supplies in hand.

Foot by foot, dashing at full speed as lungs fill with hot dusty air; twenty five feet, twenty feet, fifteen feet.

Youthful inexperience and perceived invincibility are betrayed, the fired armor piercing round converting flesh into gore on impact. A blood spattered case marked with a green cross clatters onto the road from dead hands, the remaining portions of the young man plastered in red across the convoy.

Without thought Jac runs from cover, slick hands grasping the container as he turns back. A race against a marksman, the flash of a distant scope blinding his vision as another round is cycled into the divine chamber.

“Target negative, broken contact.” The boy reports as the figure dives behind cover.

“I will target the vehicle with the following round.” The girl replies.

“Stop.” The sibling interrupts as his eyes glow blue. “Analysis concludes no significant targets detected within the combat area.”

“You confirmed that one of their leaders will be within this convoy.” The girl blinks as she levels the rifle at the truck. 

“I never confirmed such a purpose.”

“You did.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

“This conversation is not productive.”

“I disagree.”

“You are free to disagree, it does not change reality.” The boy finishes.

“Are you suggesting we leave?” The girl asks her sibling. “The extermination of this criminal element is not complete.

The boy blinks. “We have ten bullets remaining. It would be unwise to continue.”

“How many remain in the convoy?”

“Twelve.”

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“Why did we begin this?” The girl asks with confusion. “It is obvious that we have wasted our time.”

The boy turns, hued blue eyes fading into dark coloring. “We were agreed in our belief that a leader was within their group. This was not the case.”

“Then are you suggesting we retreat?”

“Yes, it is a tactically sound decision.”

The girl crawls back slightly at her sibling’s words. “And leave those to take vengeance on us?”

“They have other duties than vengeance.” The boy notes. “There are other Bounty Hunters in this location, we are one upon many. And without the flow of logistical material the Criminal Collective will become desperate.”

“And so this is why we attacked them?”

The boy thinks for a moment. “That is a reason you would not have understood.”

“I would if you had told me.”

“I am doubting that statement.”

“You should not.”

“I am still.”

“As with many conversations between us, this is unproductive. I suggest a retreat.” The boy nods. “We will set up camp at our previous location; await until an opportune time to hunt again.”

“Or we finish this, leave no ends to be discovered.”

“That would not be an efficient use of our limited resources.”

“Are you doubting my ability? Ten rounds is enough to eliminate all…”

“If you expend all ammunition you would no longer be useful.” The boy interrupts. “May I remind you that our target is at minimum one of the bandit leaders. A bounty of that scale is enough to sustain us for over several months and allow for this excursion to be economical.”

Pausing, the girl stares at her sibling. “We will retreat under economical circumstances, not that of conflict?”

“Correct.” The boy nods.

“I will not bow before an enemy we can defeat.”

“There is no implication of superiority in this matter.” The boy continues.

Unconvinced, the answer comes from eroded stubbornness. “Fine.”

“Then we are in agreement. A withdrawal is our chosen option, and despite your singular affixation to cowardice it is the only logical one.”

“I am not accepting this plan underneath your words. I can control myself.” The girl bites. “I am accepting it because it is the one that is most logical.”

A cold scoff, the boy crawling back to cover. “I disagree on the latter point as I have never observed this to be the case with your specific personality. However, despite the reasons associated with your decision, we are in agreement.”

A short nod, the girl rising to a kneeling position. “We are in agreement.”