Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Under the Five Moons ❯ Goodbye Jenora ( Chapter 11 )

Disclamer: I don't own Trigun. I don't own even own my car for pity's sake.

######################################################### ###################

June 2nd, two days after Arrival Day

"C'mon Nikki, just eat it," Evans said, thrusting a skewer with some meat on it towards her. Near him, two other meat skewers roasted over the fire.

"Sorry Evans, I have a rule, never eat anything I can't recognize," Nikki said, pushing the skewer back towards Evans.

"What if I told you what it was, would that make it better?"

"No, if anything it would make it worse."

Evans shrugged. "More for me then." He bit into the meat. "Hmm, still a little undercooked." He returned the meat into the fire and leaned back against the truck. He pulled a cigar out of his case and lit it in the fire.

Nikki sighed and put her face in her hands. She wished she had the guitar with her, but Jeremiah and Calamity were on the other side "doing something." That was all Evans and Nikki had heard from the pair since Jeremiah had discovered a toolbox stuffed under a seat.

On the other side of the car, Jeremiah sat with the guitar in his lap and a pair of pliers in his hand. He put the pliers down and held out his hand. "5/8ths wrench."

Calamity looked over his shoulder. "No, 3/4s." She slapped the wrench into his hand.

Jeremiah looked at the guitar again. "I stand corrected." He fiddled with something, then handed the wrench back to Calamity. He stood up and reached for his suit jacket. "Well, I think we're done with that.

Calamity knelt down and picked up the guitar and plucked a few notes. "Still plays, pretty amazing."

Jeremiah nodded as he rolled up the sleeves on his jacket. "Well yeah, that was the trick wasn't it? If it didn't play, what we did wouldn't be nearly as impressive."

Calamity turned the guitar over, inspecting the back for any blemishes their work might have left. "Well, let's head over to the other side for dinner. Whatever Evans is cooking smells good."

Jeremiah grimaced as he put his cross-stud earring back in. "You don't want that."

"I don't want that?"

You don't want that."

********************************************************* *******************

Jenora Rock, June 3rd, about 10:00 pm

Out in a small graveyard in Jenora, all was peaceful. Not a single sound broke the tranquil sleep of the dead. Except for a munching sound.

The sound came from a blue-haired man standing in the middle of the graveyard. He was dressed in black, so one might have mistaken him for a mourner if it weren't for his white coat and the hotdog he held in his left hand. His single visible golden eye peered around the graveyard as he finished the hotdog and started licking his fingers. Far too much for just a hot dog.

Suddenly, a hand burst out of a grave and clawed at the ground. This hand was followed by another hand, then two arms, and then a person pulled themselves out of the grave. He was dressed in a closed brown trench coat that matched his close-cropped hair. His eyes faded somewhere between red and green before finally settling with green.

"Good evening," Legato said.

Martinez stood up. "Think we've enough to time to grab something to eat before the kids get here?"

Legato nodded. "I know a place with great cheesecake."

********************************************************* ***********

The door swung open and two men stepped into the restaurant. The blue-haired one sat down at one end of the bar and signaled for the waitress.

The waitress stared at the blue-haired man for a while before he cleared his throat. She came back to her senses and asked what he would like.

"Some cheesecake please."

The waitress nodded and ran off towards the kitchen.

The other man sat down in front of the bartender and surveyed the racks of alcohol. "Do you have any good after dinner drinks?" he asked.

The bartender nodded and pulled a bottle of amber liquid from below the bar labeled "Badwick Gardens" and set it on the table. He poured some into a glass and slid it across to the man. "What did you have for dinner chief?"

"Oh I haven't had it yet," the man responded.

The blue-haired man at the end of the bar eyed him critically. "I don't suppose it would be too much to ask that you wait until my food has arrived?"

The man in the brown coat waved dismissively. "Not at all."

********************************************************* ***********

The Sheriff's posse was too late. It always is. That is the nature of Sheriff's possess and Cavalry charges. They are reactionary forces, forever doomed to arrive on the scene when it's too late to stop the event from ever happening.

In this case, the Sheriff and his posse arrived too late to stop what appeared to be a wholesale slaughter. Not a single living person could be seen in the entire southern quarter. Just a lot of bodies, and a disturbing lack of blood.

The Sheriff pushed open a door and stepped into a restaurant, looking for survivors. He found two men sitting at the bar, one eating cheesecake, and the other drinking amber liquid from a whiskey glass.

"Did you two see what happened? How can you eat at a time like this?"

They looked up and stared at him for a second, then shrugged and starting ignoring him again.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" the Sheriff said, pulling his sidearm.

"Hey Sheriff! We found some people here at the bordello! Here, let me help you two up. . . Wha, what are you doing to me! Let me go! LET ME GO! IT BURNS!"

"No, no, stay back. What are you going to do with those-HURK!"

"Where, where did that come from? Who's there? Come out!"

"There's more! There's a lot more of them! Fall back!"

"Where does he keep those knives? There's no way he can be holding all of them!"

"LOOK OUT! HE'S GOT EXPLOSIVE IN THERE!"

There was a whistling sound, then an explosion, then silence. The men at the bar kept eating and drinking, as if the screams were nothing but background music. A pleasant melody meant to help the digestion.

The sheriff turned around and rushed out the door. The sight would have haunted his dreams for the rest of his life. His posse, two hundred strong, was all dead, except for one man. A pair of identical men dressed in fringed jackets were holding the frightened deputy up against the bordello wall. They turned and regarded the sheriff with opposite colored eyes, red and blue, and blue and red.

Another man knelt close by, his eyes covered by a blindfold. His clothing blended into the night, making the only part of him visible his blindfold and the sword he was pulling from a body. He pulled a rag from some pocket and wiped the blade clean of blood. Dropping the rag on the street, he sheathed the blade and walked next to a woman leaning against the bordello wall. She was pulling on a pair of long leather gloves. Her sickly orange eyes regarded the sheriff with hatred.

There was a blur of motion and a wild looking man stood in front of the sheriff. The man peered at the sheriff and scratched his windswept hair. "I dunno why the bosses would want two of you alive."

"Ours is not to wonder why gentlemen. Ours is but to do or die," a man in a multi-colored poncho and dirty blue jeans said. He took off his hat and ran a hand through his messy red hair. The man approached the Sheriff and regarded him with his laughing hazel eyes. "Don't worry lawdog, me and Blayne'll keep these guys at bay for now. She's got a lot of experience keeping wolves at bay, don't you Blayne?" He gestured to a beautiful blonde behind him.

She closed her blade-fan and glared at Johnny. "Don't compare my pack to your cretins, Johnny."

Johnny chuckled. "See guys? She loves all of us."

"Enough Johnny, I wish to speak with him," the blue-haired man who had been eating the cheesecake said, stepping out of the restaurant. His brown-haired companion followed, the glass still in his hand. He flashed a grin at the Sheriff, revealing two large fangs.

"We hear rumors." The vampire said. "Rumors of a Sheriff who stands for justice way out in the city of Jenora. Of a man who fought to the last against the Roughland gang until help arrived, then fought on even after the Cavalry came."

The blue-haired man put his hands into his pockets. "We hear rumors, and we wish to know if they are true. Here you are, Sheriff, outnumbered and outgunned. What will you do?"

The Sheriff raised his sidearm and fired at the vampire, hitting him in the chest. The bullet passed right through, leaving a gaping hole. "Why did you have to ruin my favorite coat?" the vampire asked.

The Sheriff growled and turned his aim on the blue haired man. His arm suddenly seized up. He felt it slowly move away from the blue-haired man until it was pressed against his temple.

"The rumors are true, it seems," the blue-haired man said, "And it seems to me that the only one here really worthy enough to kill such a hero, is you."

The Sheriff didn't flinch as he felt himself pull the trigger, but none of the Gung Ho Guns were expecting him to. They now turned their attention to the remaining deputy, still pinned to the bordello wall by the twins. Legato and Martinez approached him.

"Do you know why we let you live?" Legato asked.

"M-, m-, mercy?" the deputy asked.

Legato and Martinez smiled. "Mercy? Don't be absurd. I plan to kill every human being on this planet, why would I show mercy?"

Martinez drank the last of his liquor and leaned in close to the deputy. "We're letting you live because every crime needs a witness. Now run along and tell the Cavalry we're here. I'm sure they'll find it just. . . fascinating."

The twins pushed the deputy away. He took one look at the demons behind him and ran off into the night. Blayne approached Legato and knelt in front of him. She reached out carefully, and Legato presented his left hand to her. She held as a priest would hold the Grail, and then nuzzled it against her cheek.

Johnny stood next to Martinez and stared at the corpse of the Sheriff. "Danil knows we're here. I'm not worried about the Cavalry, but what if the good Father brings the Flock down on us?"

"He wouldn't come here," Legato said. "What would he gain by killing the servants of his enemy? Danil would only come if the Master himself were here."

The man with blindfold's head swung towards Legato. "But still, I am worried sir. Even though Danil might not come here, his second-in-command is said to be much more impulsive. Should we not be cautious? With Blayne's pack away and the guardians under repair, we do not have the numbers to fight them all."

Martinez chuckled. "Oh ye of little faith." He crushed the glass in his hand and picked out glass shard. Disposing of the rest, he dragged the shard across his palm, leaving a jagged cut. "I'm no Julius," Martinez said, kneeling over the body of the Sheriff, "but let me show you a trick." He pressed his blood soaked palm to the forehead of the Sheriff and closed his eyes. The Sheriff's body stood up, his eyes soulless and lifeless, his hands lacking their strength of before. One by one, the rest of the posse stood up, as soulless as the Sheriff had been.

Martinez started to stand up, and then slumped to side. Johnny caught him and put his shoulder under Martinez's arm. Martinez grinned, showing his fangs. "Not strong, but they'll serve for foot fodder. Now, let's carve us up some new recruits."

********************************************************* *******************

The truck rambled on towards the city lights. Jeremiah was driving now, Evans had wanted some time to smoke and Calamity was showing Nikki the new "features" on her guitar. Jeremiah had turned off the headlights but his eyes had started to glow again. They drove in silence now, Calamity having finished her tutorial. As they approached the town limits, Evans stabbed his cigar out. "Quick check," he asked, "Am I the only one who's worried about what we're going to find?"

They all shook their heads. "Thought so," Evans said. He pulled out his saber and tested the edge. He put it back in its sheath and pulled out his service revolver. He flicked it open. Six bullets were loaded into the chamber. He closed it again. "Don't know why I bother checking, I'm a terrible shot anyway."

The truck rolled into the southern part of town and screeched to a halt. The doors opened and the four slowly stepped out. Calamity looked around carefully, but saw nobody. No bodies either, so that was probably a good sign. Evans pulled out another cigar and lit it, while Nikki and Jeremiah went around the back of the truck to get their luggage.

Nikki came up first, the guitar on her back, the strap running over her left shoulder, between her breasts and under the flap of her open jacket. She reached into her jacket sleeve and pulled out her purple-lensed sunglasses. She flipped them open and pushed them on.

Evans chuckled. "You are sooo copying my style."

"Shaddup."

"How can you two see in those things?" Calamity asked.

Jeremiah came up beside them, the side arm of his cross leaning against his shoulder. The glow in his eyes changed from white to red. He turned towards Evans and threw his hand in front of his eyes. "Put that thing out Evans, I can't see!"

Evans shrugged. "Sorry, it's a drug, I'm addicted." Nevertheless, he dropped the cigar and crushed it with his boot.

Jeremiah's red gaze swept over the town. "That's weird, there isn't anything alive in the whole place. At least nothing that's giving off heat."

"Then what's that?" Nikki asked, pointing to an approaching form. It appeared to have a human from this distance, but it was difficult to be sure. Its head lolled on its neck at a crazy angle, and its shuffling gate was unsure.

Jeremiah looked towards it. "What's what?" The glow in his eyes faded from red back to white. "Holy shit!" he said. "That thing's dead!"

"Dead things don't usually walk around Jeremiah," Calamity said.

Jeremiah shook his head and the glow in his eyes turned red again, then back to white. "No doubt about it, that thing's dead!"

"You sure?" Evans asked. Jeremiah nodded. "Well," Evans said, "If we're going to run amuck then there's no time like the present!" His hand shot down to his saber hilt and he drew it with blinding speed. The dust between him and the corpse shot up, blowing the street litter to the side. The corpse was thrown back into a wall, where it stopped moving.

They ran up to the corpse. Nikki turned to Evans. "How the hell did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"The thing with the shockwave from the sword! There's no way that's regular Cavalry training!"

"Practice. Lots and lots of practice." Evans answered.

Calamity knelt in front of the corpse and reached out a hand to its neck. "Well, it's dead, but it was dead before the Cavalry boy hit it. Something snapped his neck." She turned the head over. "That's strange, he's got two little puncture marks on his neck. Like he was bitten by a vampire or something."

Evans, Nikki, and Jeremiah sucked in their breath.

"Martinez?" Nikki asked.

"Don't worry," Jeremiah said, hefting his Cross Punisher. "I'm prepared."

A sound came from the end of the street. They looked up and saw more zombies shuffling towards them, led by the body of the Sheriff. Evans brought his sword around, Jeremiah reached for the snaps on his cross, and Calamity reached into her coat, but Nikki stopped them.

"Wait, I want to see how this thing works." She walked out into the middle of the street and cracked her knuckles. She held out her hand and motioned towards the gang; on the offhand chance they could still understand it.

The Sheriff's body might or might not have understood it, it didn't matter. Either way, it raised its gun towards Nikki, the rest of the zombies following suit. Nikki's arms flashed into her jacket with a speed that put Evans to shame. The Long Colts came out and twelve shots rang out in the night, sending twelve of the twenty flying backwards.

Nikki's thumbs shot out and hit the switches on the side of her gun. They snapped open and the bullets ejected from their barrels into the air. Her hands flew back behind her up into the two black tubes sticking from the barrel of her guitar. There was a loud KA-CHUNK noise and her hands came back, the Long Colts fully reloaded. She snapped the guns shut and took aim at the remaining eight, who hadn't even raised the weapons. Eight more shots rang out in the night, and then silence reigned once more.

[Impressive shooting, little spiderfly. You really are the spitting image of your father. It's too bad you have the taint of your mother in you.]

"Who said that?" Calamity asked, looking around.

Jeremiah's eyes found them first. He pointed up towards the windmills on the plateau. Martinez stood there, with Legato by his side. He waved and then motioned for them to come up there.

"I have a message for the red head," a voice said from the shadows. A blonde stepped out from the shadows, dressed in what would have been called the Victorian style back on earth. She reached into her corset and pulled out two fans. She flicked them open, revealing them to be made of blades. "Johnny says hi."

Calamity tensed up. "Johnny?"

Blayne pointed up towards the windmills with her fan. Johnny came up and leaned on Legato and Martinez's shoulders, grinning insanely. He waved at Calamity.

Calamity, Nikki, and Jeremiah ran off down the street past Blayne, towards the windmills. Blayne looked behind her, then back towards Evans. "Well, I guess that means you and I get to play."

Evans brought his sword up in front of him, parallel to the ground. "I guess it does. How about a date afterwards?"

"Sorry, you aren't beautiful enough. You're only human."

********************************************************* *******************

"Well, well, a little zombie army. We've been transported to a horror story."

Jeremiah and Nikki nodded. Jeremiah reached up and flipped a strap on his Cross Punisher. A flurry of straps opening, cloth flying open, and suddenly Jeremiah was holding it under his arm. The long end opened, revealing two gun barrels. He reached out a flipped a switch. "Incendiary ammo, yeah?" He hefted the Punisher and pulled the trigger. Bullets spat out of the double barrels and slammed into the approaching zombies, who promptly burst into flame.

Nikki threw herself to the side, squeezing off her four remaining rounds. Her hands shot back to the guitar again, specifically to the two black tubes sticking out of the bottom.

KA-CHUNK!

She came up again with two loaded guns. Another twelve shots and twelve more zombies went down.

"Damn it, there's too many of them!" Jeremiah shouted as the flipped another switch on his Punisher. "I'm already out of incendiary ammo!" He hoisted the Punisher again, but a bullet flew from the zombie army and hit it, causing him to drop it. Jeremiah cursed and dove for the Punisher, rolling for cover by Nikki. Calamity dove to the left, taking cover behind a stack of crates across the street.

"You two are too subtle," Calamity said, reaching into her coat. She pulled a grenade out and yanked the pin out with her teeth. She glanced towards the zombie army and flung it towards the zombies.

BOOM!

Calamity glanced over the boxes. "Well, that settles that, doesn't it?"

Nikki and Jeremiah stared at Calamity, their jaws quivering.

Calamity glared at them. "What?" she asked.

Jeremiah grinned. "Nothing."

********************************************************* *******************

Evans drew his sword hand back down to his sheath then whipped it outward. The sand flew up as the shockwave blasted down the street towards Blayne. She darted to the right, the shockwave rippling her dress but missing her.

"Too slow human!" She dashed forward, both fans open, their blades shining in the faint moonlight. She slashed downwards, but Evans sidestepped the right and brought his saber around for a horizontal slash. Blayne ducked, then rocketed upwards with both fans open.

Evans stepped backwards and brought his saber upwards. He brought it down in an overhead chop, but Blayne caught in both her fans. "Still won't consider going on a date? There's something appealing about a woman who can kick my ass."

Blayne grunted, then gave a little with her fans to overbalance Evans. He stumbled forward and she came up with her left fan. Evans hand shot out and grabbed her arm. He twisted and Blayne dropped the fan. She kicked Evans in the chest, then dove for the fan.

********************************************************* *******************

Jeremiah reached the windmills first, his eyes glowing red. "Alright, there is something alive up there. I got three living people."

"And one dead person," Martinez said, stepping out of the darkness. He was followed by Legato, Johnny, and a man dressed in a long vest that rivaled Calamity's coat in pocket number. His hair stuck out at random angles and he had a faraway look in his eyes.

Johnny waved. "Hiya Clarissa. I was so sorry to hear about the Wild Bunch."

Calamity glowered at him. "No you weren't. You probably thought it was funny."

Johnny shrugged. "Well it was. Admit it little sister, you enjoyed watching them die after what they did to you. You and I enjoy death. We're meant for it, we were born to kill."

"We aren't weapons Johnny!"

"Aren't we?"

Legato chuckled. "Denial is an ugly thing. It can rip families apart. Our Master and his brother are perfect examples."

Nikki pointed at him. "You're. . . You're Legato Bluesummers aren't you?"

"I see your father told you about me. I'm flattered. Perhaps he also told you what he did to me?" Legato reached up and moved his bangs slightly to the side, revealing a large round scar in the center of his forehead. "The most exquisite pain I ever experienced, though in fairness, I did kill your father, son of Chapel." He pointed towards Jeremiah.

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow, his eyes now glowing brighter then they had before.

"I see you've met Danil. How is he these days? Don't tell me he's still upset about his cousin, is he?" Martinez asked. He turned to Legato. "You want to talk to the abomination alone?"

Legato nodded. "I will show her what she truly is. As Danil might say, the sinner should know his crime before being punished for it."

Martinez nodded, then charged towards Jeremiah, knocking him down before he could bring his weapon. The Cross Punisher slid towards Johnny, who knelt down and tried to pick it up.

"Damn! This thing is heavy." He gave up and motioned towards Calamity. "C'mon sis, let's play." He rushed off to the side, Calamity giving chase.

Nikki stepped towards Legato bringing up her Long Colts. "God damn it, my father killed you. How are you still walking?"

[Come now little spiderfly, after all that you have seen tonight, are you really surprised by another walking corpse?]

Nikki pulled back the hammers on her Long Colts. "Get out of my head you son of a bitch."

Legato chuckled. Nikki felt herself being picked up by an unseen hand and thrown against a windmill. Her guns went flying to the ground. Legato bent down and picked them up.

[These really are very good. Marlon I assume? Yes, these are almost perfect. Almost. . .] He turned to the man beside him. "Lorand, make them perfect."

Lorand took the guns and turned around, fiddling with them.

Martinez had wrestled Jeremiah to the ground. He stood up and wiped some blood from a cut on his lip. "Damn, I'm impressed."

Jeremiah levered himself into a kneeling position. " I thought you couldn't stand to look at crosses?"

Martinez chuckled. "Only if I haven't had enough blood. Though raising our little army took it out of me, there was more than enough to fill me up again. Although. . ." he fingered the hole in his coat. "I never did get enough to fix this wound." He bent down and but his mouth on Jeremiah's neck. Jeremiah's hand came up and slammed into the side of Martinez's head. He pushed Martinez's head upwards into his ear. There was a sizzling sound and Martinez jumped back, a small cross-shaped scar on the side of his face.

"Nice earring. I'm impressed, but I really expected no less from the son of Nicholas D. Wolfwood." His hand shot out and hit Jeremiah in the back of the neck. Jeremiah fell forward, his entire body numb.

Lorand finished with the Long Colts and gave them back to Legato. Legato approached Nikki, who was sitting against the windmill, struggling against his control. He slid the green Long Colt into her shoulder holster, then took both her hands and closed them around the red Long Colt.

"You know, back before the Master, your uncle, found me, I lived with my human family. I don't remember much of my time there, but I do have a memory of a tradition they had. The week before my or my sister's birthday, they would always let us open a present early."

He backed away and turned to Lorand. "This is a sight best viewed from a distance."

Lorand nodded and took off, running as fast as he could away from Nikki.

Legato looked towards Martinez. They nodded. "Johnny! We're leaving!" Martinez called out.

They started walking away when Johnny caught up with them. He was a little bruised but looked none the worse for the wear. Calamity, panting, leaned against the windmill, not even trying to chase them.

As they were leaving, Legato reached his left hand out and snapped his fingers.

[Happy birthday, little spiderfly.]

********************************************************* *******************

Evans and Blayne stood in front of each other, breathing heavily. Blayne's dress had been cut and her corset had been almost sliced off, while Evans was sporting cuts on both arms.

[Come cousin, it's time to go.] Legato's voice resonated through Blayne's mind.

[Of course sir.]

Blayne smiled at Evans. "Sorry, don't have time for a date with you. Maybe if you quit holding back, I'll consider it." She turned and dashed off.

Evans was about to follow her when he heard Nikki's scream from the top of the plateau. He turned around and dashed towards the windmills.

********************************************************* *******************

Wolfwood lit a match and brought it up to his cigarette. He waved the match, extinguishing the fire. He walked next to Vash and leant on the rail of the observation deck.

"Hey Vash."

"Yeah Nick?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

Wolfwood breathed smoke out into the night air. It flew backwards as the sandsteamer chugged on. "Do you love Meryl?"

Vash looked offended as he stared at Wolfwood. "What kind of question is that? I had a child with her!"

Wolfwood nodded. "I know. I could see that Meryl loved you, Hell, a blind man could see that. But I wasn't so sure 'bout you. And I could also seeing you acting like you loved because you afraid that if you acted otherwise, she'd be hurt beyond repair. And I know how much you hate to see people being hurt."

Vash turned and stared into the desert, searching for an answer. Suddenly, he sucked in his breath. His eyes widened.

"What's up Vash?"

"Nikki. They, she's. . ." He pointed out into the desert.

Wolfwood followed his finger, and saw light building out in the wasteland. The cigarette dropped from his hands and bounced off the deck before falling off the steamer.

"God in Heaven. Not again. Not another city."

********************************************************* *******************

Nikki's face blanched as the top of her gun flew off, revealing a glowing black cylinder. Electricity crackled and she tried to pry her hands from the handle, but they had fused with the metal. The metal seemed to melt and crawl up her arms, which were turning the same color as the Long Colt. Her hands and the gun fused together and elongated into what looked like the barrel of a giant, organic, red gun. A small cage like structure in the middle of the barrel enclosed a small sphere of light. The worst of it all was, whatever her arms had changed into was pointing at Jeremiah, and she couldn't move it.

"Jeremiah!" she screamed, "RUN!"

Jeremiah tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't respond. He couldn't even raise his head to look at his death.

Calamity reached into a pocket and brought out a v-shaped silver object. She rushed before Jeremiah and held the object in front of her. It fused with her hands and covered them with a silvery sheen. Then there was a terrible green light, and all Jeremiah could see was Calamity in front of him, diverting the light as a rock diverts a stream.

********************************************************* *******************

The blast flew over Evans head as he was climbing the incline up to the windmills. The force that accompanied it sent him flying towards a building. He grabbed a porch railing and hung on, though his hat flew off into the winds.

********************************************************* *******************

Three iles outside of Jenora Rock, a gray-haired man stood, watching the scene with disgust. He was dressed completely in black except for a high collared white shirt and a gold cross on the back of his black jacket. He shook his head.

His companion stepped forward and stood next to him. Tall, with jet black hair, he was dressed similarly to the gray-haired man, except that instead of a black jacket, he wore a long coat decorated with swirling colors of every type. "And people call us crazy," he said.

The gray haired man sighed. "They have not seen the light like we have Joseph. Let's leave, the Cavalry will be coming soon."

********************************************************* *******************

The Cavalry had already arrived, but too late to stop anything. All they could do was watch from a distant dune, and hold back the women who had ridden up. They struggled against the Cavalrymen, fighting to get to the city.

"LET US GO! OUR CHILDREN ARE DOWN THERE!"

The big one took three Cavalrymen to restrain. The little one took four.

********************************************************* *******************

Evans limped up to the windmills. When he had been thrown against the house, he had sprained his ankle, now every step hurt.

He found Jeremiah sitting in the sand next to his Cross Punisher with his head in his hands. Near him, Nikki was sitting against a windmill and Calamity lay sprawled on the desert sand. Both were unconscious.

"What happened?" Evans asked.

Jeremiah shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Evans turned to the rising suns and pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. Amazingly they had remained intact after the blast. The entire town was nothing but rubble. The casualties would have been enormous, if there had been anyone living still left there.

"Jeremiah, can you walk?"

Jeremiah looked up at Evans. "Yeah," he responded.

Evans nodded, then started limping over to Nikki. "Good, take Calamity and get out of here."

Jeremiah used his Cross Punisher to lever himself up. "Why?"

Evans stopped and pointed behind him. Jeremiah looked and saw a giant band of thomas riding people. Jeeps and supply trucks ran alongside them.

"The Cavalry's coming. I don't know what happened, but they'll blame it on Calamity, and arrest her."

"But what about Nikki?" Jeremiah asked.

"I promised Calamity that she would go free, but I can't protect her from them. You'll have to protect her Jeremiah. Don't worry about Nikki, I'll watch her."

Jeremiah hefted his cross onto his shoulder and walked over to Calamity. He scooped her up and gently slung her over his other shoulder. "Watch her close Evans, if anything happens to her, I'll make your life into Hell."

Evans nodded. "Don't worry Jeremiah. I'll protect her." He slumped down next to Nikki and pulled out a cigar. "Just go Jeremiah. Just go." He lit the cigar and took a puff as he watched Jeremiah walk away into the desert.

Evans took another drag on his cigar and closed his eyes.

********************************************************* *******************

Vash: Where did this all begin? Follow the string long enough and you can find the alpha for any series of events. Everything has a beginning somewhere. Sometimes you find that the beginning was further back then you had though. Perhaps when a man named Alex who loved a woman named Rem met a monster named Neron Martinez? Next chapter: Humanity's Demons.