Part II Low Town

Part II Low Town

“Cheesburger in Paradise it ain’t”, Mikhail rattled off. The vehicle limped its way to only place one could find a burger in Low Town. The place could be mistaken for another abandoned building if not for the fresh paint above the doorway that reads “Low Town Tavern – Hell’s Rest Stop” in a very dull red color.

Wade and the others exit the vehicle. The rest of Low Town did not fare much better during or after the war. This community use to be vibrant and alive – bustling with thousands. The kids roamed the streets in the long Summer months, shops were small and friendly – families knew each other.

Wade eves draw a bead on a derelict playground. “And now this…” he thought to himself. The entire town is encased in a layer of dirt, grime and decay. The only commodity still flourishing here is death. “If hell has a rest stop were are in it”, mumbling to himself.

Every building, street corner has a memory for him or worse – a ghosts. He and Buddy spent three years hiding here. That’s long enough to distort any mans vision. The town stretches further up and out but most if empty – left to rot back into the earth. The only ones that care are us lucky few who stay.

“You coming boss”, Buddy asked.

“Yea, grab Kreeger. Must be your lucky day. First I don’t kill you and second you might be in time for one of the best burgers this side of the blue zone.” Buddy makes sure Kreeger is well secured with the cuffs and with some help makes the bounty walk. Kreeger has no choice as the other option is not good – a smiling Mikhail all too ready to unleash his fury upon him.

The four of them stride inside. Now you might assume the interior has been redone or updated but you would be wrong. The inside has the same urban decay as everything else but with a bit more color.

Kreeger is chained to the counter top near the end of the bar – above him reads “This area designated as the shit hole”. “Suits you just fine Kreeger – we will be just over here so don’t get any ideas I don’t want you to find out how good of shot I really can be.”

Wade, Buddy and Mikhail take command of the table. It’s facing the front entrance and near enough to the back door. Rule #1 never leave your back to a door wade remembers some old soldier taught him. Another one that sticks in his mind is “If you are in a fight and get shot – fall forward so you can keep firing”. Wade not sure why that one has stuck so long in his brain. It’s like a song you can’t get rid of.

Now Low Town Tavern has your run of the mill folk in there. The owner is an ex-solder of war and he looks like it. I call him “Emerson” but others call him “Sergeant”. Either way he could kill you with looks alone. He has more scars then flesh and more tattoos then scars. He eats and shits military and loves to talk about the good old days. Emerson came out here a few years ago – told us he was tired of the bureaucracy but I could tell – without a war he wasn’t doing what he was good at. So he came here which is as pretty close to war you can get.

The sweet mamma on the grill is his girl Liz – not sure if they really are a couple but the fight like they are married. She is long to look at – the only rose in this garbage pile of shit. Her story is true of many who came out here – trouble back in the cities. She has never spoken to us about it but with her curse words and temper we fill in the blanks. I guess she feels safe here. That’s a sad thought. Damn fine cook though.

Others ramble in – we have the town drunk Rooster. Makes his own swill and if it don’t juice you the first time you can use it as fuel. He is pretty well useless but harmless. There’s Sateen brothers – they look like trouble but I doubt either of them have seen action. They used to have a mother out here – I think they came looking and never left.

Our Mayor – David Kole Coulture. We call him The Mayor since he acts like it. He wants a public forum on all things, even tried to organize us with no luck. The damned really do not need a union. He found his place in the bottom of some of Roosters swill. I am sure he has a longer sad story but honestly I don’t care.

The resident prostitute, Mary Kelly. With a name like that must be Irish. She’s a tough cookie to crack – not exactly easy on the eyes. I think she likes the title even she has never earned it. Hard to play tricks out here. Water and food mean more then much else.

Our good Sherriff William Morrisey. Bitter, old and angry but I would not bet against him in an old style pig-sticker fight. He has helped me and Buddy out a few times. He believes in the badge just not always in the means. He lets folks – live and let live. Out here in Low Town there’s no real law but what we set forth and that usually is who draws quicker.

They are others but I don’t know them well enough or they are passing through to a better life. Many who do live out here have some plan – to harvest the waste or rebuild.

“What do you want and what is that?” , Emerson yells across the room. “We need some burgers Sergeant”, Mikhail shouts back. “And that”, Wade interjects, “is my bounty and he is the shit house. Better give him a burger as well. Where he is going it is unlikely have this good of food”.

“Nice of you come back by”, Liz mentions as she throws the burgers down on the grill. “I thought maybe you went and got yourself killed. And honey you still are showing some blue there”. Wade had not notice he still had some of the blue biological on him, embarrassed, like a teenager on a first date, casually wipes it off.

“Now you just get to cooking”, Emerson mopes around to deliver drinks and inspect the bounty. “He doesn’t look like much – have anything good?”

“Hiocean money”, Mikhail barks as he flashes it. “How about a trade?” Emerson nods – “Sure kid – name your poison”.

“Oh you know what my kind likes – I want the bottle this time”, coiling into his chair, smiling as Emerson goes back to deliver good on the trade.

Just then a blur of motion as little Amanda comes running over to wade and plopping down in his lap. “Uncle Wade – where have you been – you smell”. “Good to see you to Amanda – where is your Mom at?” “She is out searching again – seeing what junk is around. Want to see what I found? Wade nods. Amanda pulls out a small Barbie doll, slightly burnt. “I am going to call her Alice – do you want to hold here.

Buddy and Mikhail can only keep their laughter to mild stifle. “Not right now Amanda – why don’t you say hello to Buddy and get going- taverns not a place for you. Ok?” Amanda gets downs and moves over to give Buddy a giant hug and then in a flash she vanishes out the door.

“No place for a kid”, Mikhail states with Buddy in agreement. Wade looks around at the place – “No place for much at all.”

Emerson comes over and slams the bottle down at Mikhail. All right you Blue Zoner – fork it over. Mikhail hands over the money and opens the bottle – “Awww’ that’s what I call sweet death.”

“How can you drink that swill?”, Kreeger barks.

“What about him?”, Emerson, glaring at Kreeger, “can we take him out back and beat the shit out of him? Did he have any weapons?”

“Just a gun – oh and a Bio”, Wade recalls knowing exactly what the reactions would be. Emerson grabs Kreeger by his collar, “A god damn Bio! You know what they can do – you know where you are kid – this is Low Town. Have you every seen what a Bio can do – I HAVE. I should kill you right now”, Emerson cocking his arm back, ready to strike.

From the doorway a voice – not deep or horsy like the others. This one has an accent and is clean.

“That would be my job”.

Wade, Mikhail and Buddy glance over. In the door way stands a figure cloaked in a shiny black duster. Eyes cover in specs, a scarf of sorts surround his neck. His bald white head just has a touch of pink now. He takes two steps forward – ingesting the surrounds that befall him. All take notice except the Sherriff.

The figure removes the specs and delicately places them within his jacket. With a gloved hand a motion and two more men enter. These are soldiers. They look it - dressed head to toe in armor and weapons. Their faces covered in helmets and visors. Wade only thinks how hot it must be for them. They are armed to the teeth bathed in the best technology the government has. This doesn’t concerns wade very much.

“Government agents”, Wade tells Buddy and Mikhail.

Emerson steps forward. “What do your kind want around here?”

The Bald leader merely smirks. “We merely want to take part your establishments’ pleasant atmosphere – to enjoy a good burger from the lovely Liz or how a small conference with your local sheriff. Is that too much to ask Sergeant Emerson Rowe?”

Now he has everybody’s attention including Wade.

“Ok you know us what about you and your friends here? They want to talk as well?” Emerson cautiously asks.

“They are here to see nothing bad happens, that Low Town stays the same quiet place it has been all these years. No, I come to talk to that man over there”, gesturing towards Wade. Wade is somewhat surprised – not to mention what Buddy and Mikhail think. Kreeger smiles at a nasty thought.

Wade watches as the man in black saunters slowly over – almost afraid to touch anything. He is not use to this environment. Doesn’t mean he is any less dangerous. The walking dead bodyguards stumble over with him.

My name is Jonathan Krill – I work for the Government if you had not already guessed. These are my associates. There are many like them outside. Oh what do we have here? “, standing before the cuffed Kreeger. “A prisoner? – oh goody”. Kreeger senses this guy might not be as friendly as Wade.

Mikhail riffs off, “He is our bounty thank you very much. We will taking him in for a small reward”. Buddy and Wade watch intently slowly moving their hands to the hip holsters.

Wade is more focused on the two armed guards. Well not welcomed, it is not uncommon for government agents to vector so far inside this area – usually looking for trouble. The two guards
look menacing with their technology doesn’t give them the surprise Wade looks for. Out here it’s your cunning that keeps you alive. These boys intimidate by looks and show of force. Wade has seen too much for that to happen to him or his group.

Krill measures up Kreeger, playing with his cuffs. “Well then you should be aware by Bounty Law 3.54.11 Bylaw 4 -- All prisoners who come in contact with Government agents are therefore considered government property and due process can begin immediately. You can of course submit an Article of Bounty claim with the courts but he is ours. Take care of him”, Krill says coldly.

“Wait just one minute”, Mikhail rises – Buddy trying to keep him calm.

“No I will not wait”, Krill states. Mikhail is on his feet but Buddy restrains him. One of the guards walks up to Kreeger and without hesitation produces what looks like a cell phone device – it is not. Wade knows what exactly it is but it is already too late.

“Get that bloody thing away from me Kreeger shouts to no avail. The guard fires and two small wires shoot out and hit Kreeger directly in the chest. A blue arc of electricity flows from the device to Kreeger. Soon smokes emulates from his head and arms. That burnt flesh smell fills the air.

Liz huddles by Emerson who is only a few feet away from his concealed gun. The Sheriff barely raises an eyelid to the whole commotion.

Wade watches as Kreeger’s face becomes frozen in horror and pain and his eyes draw back. The stream of electricity is broken and Kreeger slumps to the floor – oozing of burnt flesh and smoke rising from his form. Wade’s glare turns back the Krill.

“I love my job- case closed. Remove this corpse. “, Krill moves over closer to Mikhail, who is sits in amazement of the whole thing, “You see we have to dispose of them like this – burn them inside and out because there is a rampart problem of organ harvesting from outside the Blue Zone and this way we are sure nothing of value can come from him anymore. They do tend to smell more though.”

Buddy is uneasy with Krill marching around them. “And what is this – an illegal liquor”, grasping at Mikhail’s bottle. “Emerson Rowe I am surprised at a man of your history would allow such a blatant disregard of the law to happen her – that could close you down.”

Krill hovers over Mikhail who almost to the point of boiling over. Krill gets right to his ear, “You must be a Blue Zoner – only your kind would drink this swill”, Krill takes a whiff and snarls at it.

“So good riddance – we do not want any law breakers around these parts do we”, Krill slowly pours the contents out. Wade is not sure who is more angry – Mikhail losing his bottle or Emerson having his place abused. Krill sets down the empty bottle in front of Mikhail.

“And you must be Buddy – nice name. A Lorn I assume, notice the blank stare you are giving me. Bigger then most – must be the burgers”, Krill smiles at Liz and Emerson.

Emerson gives a grimace to the comment.

Wade is tired of the tactics. “What do you want agent man?”

“You must be Wade.” Krill pulls up the seat directly across from him, “it is a pleasure to meet you, beg your pardon for not shaking hands but you can see I am not accustomed to these parts – I prefer a more clean environment in which to work.” Krill is now measuring up wade and his partners.

Wade finger inch closer to his gun, every so slow. Wade wants to know other then Krill’s guard and what he promises are more outside what else he brings to the table. Krill, just for a moment lets out a slight smile at wade and then proceeds to test the table for dirt before setting his arms on it.

“I would not want you or your friends here hurt by a misunderstanding so if you would please remove your fingers from your guns every so slowly.”

They all notice his guards already drawing a bead on them. Wade nods to Mikhail and Buddy – they all relax a bit but don’t move their hands by much. No fair fights around here.

An Empath - great Wade thinks. “Nice trick”.

“Oh no trick Wade – just one of my many talents.” Krill face becomes sullen and he stares with his cold blue eyes at Wade.

“The High Governor would like to speak to you.”