Hell Is Empty

by Travis E. Hughes

  “No,” said Wyatt before Bat could respond. “Honestly, when you walked through that door… I have to admit, there was a huge wave of relief or at least of hope. Not that we couldn’t handle these gang bangers ourselves but--”

  “We can totally handle the bangers on our own,” Bat said gruffly over Wyatt.

  “I know, but come on…” Wyatt said with a one handed shrug.

  “Well, it looks like we may just have ourselves a mutual understanding then,” Roslyn said putting one fist on her hip and grinning warmly to Bat. She pictured the time Hattie took him out from the second floor window. He probably still held on to that grudge. But she wanted to remind him of the opportunity she gave him. Did he forget all she’d done for him since then? Men and their egos.

  “I’m not sure I see it that way,” Bat said to confirm Roslyn’s suspicion.

  “You do realize that New Vegas has the potential to be the capital of North Vader, correct?” Roslyn said.

  “Capital?” Bat said with a hint of a chuckle. “This ain’t a country. We aren’t ruled by a government out here. Ask anyone out there, they don’t want to pay taxes and all that shit.”

  “Taxes are for asses,” Roslyn said. “We know.”

  “But my point is this is the largest city in North Vader and right now the most important,” Roslyn said. “What’s good for business is law and order.”

  “We provide that just fine,” Bat said crossing his arms over his broad chest.

  “I can see that and that is why your city is prospering so well,” Roslyn said, pointing toward the front door as if to allude to outside. She then turned her pointer back to Bat. “But if you go to war with the Red Scarves and lose? That all goes to shit.”

  “Why would we lose?” Bat asked, cocking his head to the side and then frowning at Wyatt.

  “Because you have no idea how far the Red Scarves can reach; how big they really are,” Roslyn counted off on her long fingers and thumb.

  “What’s your point?” Bat asked seeming to grow tired of the subject.

  “My point is, you need us and frankly, I know good gods damned well, that you have the funds in reserve to hire my firm to help protect this city from these Red Scarves.”

  “Now, hold up on that, Roslyn,” Talbert said. “We’re bounty hunters.”

  “We’re a multi-faced outfit now,” she said.

  “Is that so?” Bat said with a dry grin.

  “We have the reach to find out where they originate out of and who really runs them,” Roslyn said. “I’m guessing it’s a guy named Ed.”

  “That part may be true. They’re all named Ed or Ned or Ted or some shit,” Wyatt said.

  “Take the rest of the day or so to think it through,” Roslyn said with a nod and then a look at Talbert suggesting they take their leave. “We’re at the Double Tree on the far north side.”

  Talbert nodded to Wyatt and then to Bat and followed her out of the office. They crossed the cubicles and Bat followed them out. Wyatt remained in the office.

  North Stone Harbor! That was the name of that town she’d been arrested in when she was twenty. North Stone Harbor’s police station looked a lot like New Vegas’.

  “What happened to the warrant on Kidd Wylie?” Talbert asked as they left the station and headed to their hover bikes.

  “We’re capable of working more than one case at a time, Bill,” Roslyn said, pressing the throttle.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Whether it was called the Belle Star or Pretty in Sphinx, the club was still the focal point of the town’s social life it seemed. So Roslyn, Hattie, Frank Lee and Talbert decided to pay it an afternoon visit to assess the situation. Puff rode her shoulder and kept his piercing eyes open and alert.

  The sirens from slot machines, the steady and pulsating beat of dance music, laughter, and the general chorus of a crowded casino filled their ears upon entering the building. What had once been a large tent now had Da’akwood walls, a VIP balcony and a large dance floor. There were three bars counting the one up stairs in the VIP lounge. The auxiliary bar wasn’t being used yet as it was still the afternoon local time.

  Roslyn grinned at Hattie when they realized Charlie the android bartender was behind the counter. She wondered if it wasn’t just another Charlie unit. The one she knew was in Phoenix City. She had assumed he’d been a custom job, but perhaps he was mass produced someplace? She hoped maybe she’d see a Stevie Wonderful android also. The one she knew was back on Athena.

  “Would you like a whiskey with a pinch of sugar and water?” asked Charlie after scanning her face. “Bug juice for the cowboy?”

  “No thanks. I’m off the juice,” Talbert grumbled and looked around the room for familiar faces.

  “Glass of Pinot Noir for the lady?” Charlie turned to Hattie.

  “Bottle of water would be nice,” Hattie said grinning politely at Charlie.

  “You the same Charlie from Phoenix?” asked Roslyn, leaning her elbow on the bar and taking a stool. “I’ll have a Jarritos, orange please.”

  “Make that two,” Talbert grunted and took the stool beside her.

  Charlie poured two orange sodas from the spout on his wrist and pulled a bottle of water from his belly cavity.

  “I am. The owners of the Golden Jewel bought out the remaining owners of Belle Star and sent me here to train the new staff and to tend bar. We have the same menu as The Golden Jewel does in Phoenix City.”

  “That’s good,” Hattie said, taking the seat on the other side of Roslyn.

  Roslyn put a yellow, ten byte chip on the bar but Charlie waved it away.

  “I have just received three text messages from patrons wanting to buy you a drink,” Charlie said.

  “What? Why?” asked Roslyn looking around the bar. Several people held their glasses up to them.

  “You’re a bit of a hero to these people,” Charlie said. “You’re famous in New Vegas.”

  “Famous?” Roslyn asked with an incredulous gape.

  “You took down Star Belly and fought along side Dogg Holly,” Charlie explained. “You established order out of chaos. Plus, they credit you with finding the diamonds.”

  Granny Shades sat at a blackjack table and waved to them, then blew them a kiss with her withered lips. Before she realized what she was doing, Roslyn blew her one back. This caused Hattie to laugh behind her lacy-gloved hand.

  “What do you think, Bill?” asked Roslyn, wiping her lips with a bar napkin after taking a sip of orange soda. “We should probably take point on each case. So you can take point on the Kidd Wylie case, since you have a history and I can look into these Red Scarves. Just to get a feel for what we’re looking at here. Or the other way works too.”

  “Hold up,” Talbert said, standing. “I recognize that guy.”

  Talbert proceeded across the room to a booth. In it sat four surly looking men. But when Talbert approached they all looked up in reverence. One man stood and shook Talbert’s hand.

  “You wanna come over and talk with us a second?” Talbert asked the standing man. The man was covered in tattoos and piercings.

  “Sure,” answered Vinnie G. His full name was Vincent Van Grothic. He was a DJ turned prospector turned back into a DJ. He followed Talbert to the bar.

  “Hey, s’up?” Vinnie G nodded upon approach. “You guys back in town for good or what up? That sheriff you put in place is a real hard ass, but he keeps it safe for business, so good job on that.”

  “Yeah? That’s good to hear,” Roslyn said, turning around in her stool to face him.

  “What can you tell us about the Red Scarves?” Talbert asked.

  “Oh, shit. You guys are here to take down the Red Scarves?” Vinnie G said, covering his mouth. “Righteous.”

  “We didn’t say that. We just want to know the threat level, is all,” explained Roslyn. “We killed a bunch of them but if there are more, they may want revenge.”

  “Right,” Vinnie G said, nodding slowly letting it sink in.

 
; “Okay, so, what do you know about them?” Roslyn asked after a couple more nods passed.

  “The sheriff and his men do a good job keeping the peace,” Vinnie G said. “They even used to have Red Scarves on the force, but something happened. I don’t even know. They got fired and a couple got shot.”

  “Yeah? Did more Red Scarves come to avenge the dead ones?” Roslyn asked.

  “Not yet,” Vinnie G said.

  “When did all that go down?” Talbert asked.

  “Shit…” Vinnie G rubbed his chin beard. “That was the end of last summer. So seven, eight months ago.”

  “Huh,” Roslyn said, looking at Talbert.

  “Have they been around town?” asked Roslyn.

  “Not all winter,” Vinnie G said. “There’s no security work for them here with the sheriff’s department and I think they go to new camps like what’s that new one called, Yanksville?”

  “Yanker?” asked Roslyn.

  “Maybe,” Vinnie G nodded slowly, he seemed distracted by the throbbing lights of a nearby slot machine. Someone hit a jackpot and was dancing around, hugging his neighbors. A fat lady shoved the winner away.

  “How high are you right now?” Roslyn asked.

  “Oh I’m blasted, dude,” Vinnie G said and then chuckled. Roslyn laughed as well.

  “Yeah?” Talbert said. “Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.”

  “Of course, bro,” Vinnie G said, shaking Talbert’s hand and giving him a side hug at the same time. This made Talbert look squeamish but he survived it. “Always willing to help out, man. I’m the one that found Dogg Holly’s body. People know me for that shit, now… so, yeah that and my DJ work, so… Hey, come check out my show tomorrow night. I’m doing one at the Yellow Donkeyballs over on F Street and Twenty-Second. Cool spot. I can put you guys on the list if you want.”

  “We might be out of town tomorrow night,” Roslyn smiled politely. “But thank you so much. We’re definitely going to check out one of your shows Vinnie G.”

  “Heard,” Vinnie G said and squinted at them before returning to his buddies.

  “Looks like maybe we’re heading to Yanker,” Roslyn said finishing her Jarritos and sliding the glass forward.

  “Would you like another?” asked Charlie upon passing.

  “No thank you, Charlie,” Roslyn said smiling.

  “But there are several requests still to buy you another round,” Charlie said.

  “Can we roll those over to the next time we come in here?” Roslyn asked. “When we’re here to party instead of for business? We’ll take real drinks next time.”

  “So would you like me to create an account for you and credit it for how many whiskey and waters, Pinot Noir and bug juices people are willing to pay for now?”

  “Don’t offer me bug juice again, Charlie,” Talbert grumbled.

  “I have taken that note, sir,” Charlie said.

  “No, Charlie, I imagine these people buying us drinks, they want to see us enjoy them,” Roslyn said, standing. “Thank you though.”

  “Well, now I’m just confused,” Charlie said sliding down the bar toward another customer.

  They drove their hover bikes over the now paved streets to their hotel in the north outskirts. Puff took flight above them, stretching his wings and getting an overall view of the scope of the city. He was back on his home world; breathing the air he had evolved in. Roslyn wondered what that meant to him.

  “If we run into the Red Scarves in Yanker, what’s our play?” asked Hattie as they strolled into the lobby of the hotel.

  “We should avoid them as much as possible,” Roslyn answered. She gave side eyes to Talbert who nodded his agreement. “At least until we know their reach and we get an idea of what we’re looking at.”

  The elevator brought them to the fourth floor. Roslyn’s room was the first on the right and she departed company with them at her door.

  Hattie and Talbert continued down the hall.

  “Would you want me on the Kidd Wylie case with you, or working the Red Scarves with Roslyn?” Hattie asked as she came to her door. She slid the key card into the slot and the light switched from red to green. She pushed the door open and held it with her foot.

  “Guess that’s up to you, kiddo,” Talbert said, tugging at his ear.

  “Also, did you want me to try and astral project while we’re on Danaus?” Hattie asked, looking both cautious and eager. Talbert stared at his boots for a moment. He made a click with his tongue.

  “Yeah, I don’t know,” Talbert finally said, rocking up on the balls of his feet for a moment.

  “I may be able to do it without you being in the room,” Hattie said. “If that’s easier on you?”

  “I guess if that’s the case,” Talbert said, trying to hide the pain. “Don’t guess it would hurt anything.”

  “Okay, Bill,” Hattie said through a strained smile. “Good night, then.”

  “Yep,” Talbert said slapping his hands together. “Good night, kiddo.”

  “Pleasant dreams,” she said.

  “Wouldn’t that be a nice change?” Talbert said and turned toward his room.

  “I can help with that too, you know,” Hattie said to his back.

  “Bet you can,” Talbert said, unlocking his door. He tipped his hat to her as his door closed.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “I don’t know,” Roslyn said across the aisle to Frank Lee. “If you make it mandatory for gun owners to have a stun mode and then you made it illegal to have your gun on kill mode in town…”

  They were on the shuttle to Yanker. Talbert sat in the row ahead of them with Charlie Siringo and Grace. Hattie sat behind her. She leaned forward to be part of the conversation.

  “Back in the day, they made ordinances against having guns in town, period,” Talbert said over his shoulder. He was oddly alert.

  “But people won’t stand for that. We’d be imposing our Earther laws on them,” Roslyn said with enlarged eyes.

  “Besides that,” Frank said, holding up one white-gloved finger. “What are you going to do, go around and check everyone’s guns?”

  “Well no, but if someone shoots someone else and their gun isn’t on stun, then they go to jail,” Roslyn said. This caused Frank to laugh openly. He shook his head.

  “I know it sounds ridiculous but these idiots literally have no laws,” Roslyn said.

  “There’s a code, though,” Siringo said, turning around to speak between the headrests.

  “You think?” Roslyn asked.

  “Sure,” Siringo said, looking at Talbert. “Right? Most people don’t need laws to have morality.”

  Talbert shrugged. “I don’t know about that. The more I see…”

  “I mean, people duel and usually follow the rules,” Siringo said. “You don’t just walk up and shoot someone in the back.”

  “I’m sorry,” Frank said. “Are you saying it’s not against the law to stun someone?”

  “There is no law, remember?” Roslyn said. “That’s the point. It’s more like us and Mr. Wyatt and Mr. Matters saying if you shoot someone with a gun set on kill, then we take you down.”

  “On whose authority?” asked Frank.

  “On our own and in the name of the Holy Avians,” Roslyn said.

  “Amen,” Hattie said. “To the highest perch we ascend.”

  Roslyn tried not to roll her eyes. She grinned and nodded instead.

  “So it’s our town?” Frank asked.

  “Sometimes you have to take responsibility, right?” Roslyn said, looking back at Hattie and then up to Grace. She didn’t mean to try and rally the ladies; it must have been out of some subconscious maternal urge.

  “We all must do our part to make the universe a better place,” Hattie said, coming to her side.

  “We can’t call some place home and not protect it against mayhem,” Roslyn said.

  The shuttle touched down in a roped off field just outside of the camp. Roslyn counted eleven other shuttles pa
rked and three recently departed. On the horizon another shuttle approached, red lights flashing on its grey belly.

  “How ‘bout Siringo and me go find the folks who put up the warrant on Kidd Wylie,” Talbert said as they unbuckled and stood to file up the aisle. “Get some insight into the complaint.”

  Hattie tried not to show her hurt but Roslyn could feel it on her as she moved toward the exit of the shuttle.

  Once on the tarmac, Hattie approached Talbert.

  “Don’t take it personal, kid,” Talbert said, holding up one hand.

  “Oh, no,” Hattie grinned but her eyes were sad. “I just wanted to let you know that I projected last night. I didn’t sense either of them on this planet. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Hmm,” was all Talbert could muster and then with a twisted up mouth he turned and caught up to Siringo.

  “Maybe you should just tell him if or when you actually sense them,” Roslyn said passing Hattie.

  “Yeah?” Hattie asked, blinking as if coming out of a stupor.

  The structures in the central area had wooden frames but canvas walls. Roslyn wondered how large the gold find had been in regards to speculating about the future of the camp. If it proved substantial then perhaps it would behoove the business owners to form a committee to help plan for the future development of the camp into a proper town. But she was there looking for Red Scarves. A job that would prove easy enough, as she only needed her eyes for the task.

  It took less than three blocks, for the lack of a better term, for her to spot the conspicuous red scarves flowing around the necks of the gang of mercenaries. She passed a group of five talking amongst themselves. They were teasing the youngest among them, a baby-faced kid with acne scarring on his forehead. Their scarves were fringed on the ends like the ones who had ridden into New Vegas as reinforcements.

  She realized a great error when she noticed a woman turn to look at Grace as she passed. Grace was gorgeous, but also strange looking and if you recognized her then you knew who she was. But Grace had been so eager to do her part and practically begged to come along. She needed action.