The saloon was a maelstrom of noise and smoke, a rough establishment on the edge of civilization, hundreds of miles from Demomire. Men laughed, argued, and drank with abandon. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and whiskey, punctuated by the occasional clang of a glass against wood.
Victoria Maddox leaned back in her chair, boots propped on the table. Her eyes scanned the room with a predatory intensity. Levi sat to her left, silent as always, his broad-shouldered frame casting an imposing shadow. Jeremiah and Isaac flanked her right, their expressions serious but calm. Franklin Weaver stood by the bar, his wiry build cutting a sharp figure as he downed another shot.
“I heard he’s heading West trying to make a new life where no one will no him” Victoria’s voice cut through the din, low but commanding.
Victoria’s hazel eyes flickered with the same intensity that had driven her through countless hunts. Cody Everette wasn’t just another target; he was a personal vendetta wrapped in layers of passion and betrayal. Her lean frame betrayed none of the turmoil within, but those who knew her—like Levi, Jeremiah, and Franklin—sensed the storm beneath her calm exterior.
“We’re wasting time,” Victoria said, her voice cold and precise. She took a swig from her flask, the burn of whiskey a familiar comfort. “Cody could be anywhere by now.”
Jeremiah leaned forward, his eyes meeting hers. “Vic, you gotta face it. We’re chasing shadows. The man knows how to disappear.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s uncatchable,” Victoria snapped back, her tone cutting through the saloon’s clamor. “We just haven’t been looking hard enough.”
Levi, ever the silent observer, finally spoke up. “This isn’t about the money for you, is it?”
Victoria’s jaw tightened. She didn’t need to answer; the truth was written in the lines of her face and the steel in her gaze.
Franklin sauntered over from the bar, his sharp grey eyes studying Victoria with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. “We all know why we’re here,” he said, his voice low but carrying an edge of authority. “But let’s not kid ourselves—this is more than just a job for Vic.”
“She wants his head on a platter,” Jeremiah added, not unkindly but with a resigned acceptance.
Victoria’s eyes flashed dangerously. “You think this is about revenge? It’s about justice.” Her words hung heavy in the smoky air.
Levi shrugged slightly. “Call it what you want. We’re all here for our reasons.” He looked at the others, gauging their reactions.
Jeremiah sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. “We get it, Vic. But chasing him without a lead? We’re wasting resources and time.”
“I don’t care about the cost,” Victoria shot back. “Cody owes me.”
Franklin’s gaze softened slightly as he nodded towards Levi and Jeremiah. “We’ll keep looking,” he said slowly. “But if we don’t find any leads soon…”
“We’ll find him,” Victoria cut him off sharply, refusing to entertain any other possibility.
The saloon door swung open, drawing the brief attention of Victoria and her crew. A man walked in, his demeanor calm and unassuming. He headed straight for the bar, ordering a drink with a casual nod to the bartender. Victoria’s eyes slid over him at first, her mind still focused on the conversation.
“Another round,” Levi murmured, signaling the barmaid.
Victoria’s attention drifted back to the newcomer. There was something familiar about him, something she couldn’t quite place. The man chatted amiably with the bartender, his voice carrying a hint of an accent that tugged at Victoria’s memory.
Jeremiah leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Vic, you seein’ what I’m seein’?”
She squinted, trying to place the face that seemed both foreign and oddly recognizable. The man laughed at something the bartender said, and suddenly it clicked. Cody’s old friend—Lionel.
Victoria’s posture stiffened imperceptibly. “That’s Lionel,” she said quietly, her eyes never leaving him. “Cody’s friend.”
Levi followed her gaze, his expression hardening. “You sure?”
“Positive,” Victoria replied, her voice steely with determination.
Franklin stepped closer to the group, having noticed their sudden shift in focus. “What’s the plan?”
Victoria’s mind raced through possibilities. “We follow him when he leaves,” she decided swiftly. “He’s bound to lead us somewhere useful.”
Jeremiah nodded in agreement, already mentally preparing for the task ahead. Lionel finished his drink and stood up, tossing a few coins onto the bar. He exchanged a few more words with the bartender before turning towards the door.
“Here we go,” Victoria muttered under her breath.
The group moved with practiced ease, slipping into the flow of patrons exiting and entering the saloon without drawing attention to themselves. Outside, they watched as Lionel began to make his way down the dusty street, seemingly oblivious to their presence.
Levi took point, his eyes locked onto Lionel while maintaining a safe distance. Franklin and Jeremiah flanked either side of Victoria as they trailed behind, their steps synchronized and silent.
As Lionel rounded a corner and disappeared from view momentarily, Victoria felt a surge of anticipation mingled with tension. This was their chance—a lead that could finally bring them closer to Cody Everette.
As Victoria and her crew rounded the corner, Lionel was nowhere to be seen. The narrow alley stretched out before them, empty and quiet. A palpable tension gripped the group as they halted, eyes scanning every inch of their surroundings.
“Where the hell did he go?” Jeremiah muttered, frustration lacing his words.
Victoria’s sharp gaze swept over the alley. Brick walls lined either side, interrupted only by a few weather-beaten doors and shuttered windows. Shadows pooled in the crevices, adding an air of mystery to the scene.
“He couldn’t have just vanished,” Levi stated, stepping forward to inspect a nearby doorway. He pressed his ear against the wood, listening for any sound that might betray Lionel’s presence.
Franklin moved to the opposite side of the alley, checking another door with practiced efficiency. His fingers traced the edges, searching for signs of recent use or a hidden mechanism.
“Spread out,” Victoria ordered, her voice low but commanding. “Check every door, every window.”
Jeremiah nodded and moved further down the alley, his eyes scanning for any clue that might reveal Lionel’s escape route. Victoria herself approached a set of double doors halfway down the alley. They looked old and unused, but she knew appearances could be deceiving.
She pressed against them gently; they didn’t budge. She leaned in closer, peering through a crack between the doors. The darkness inside offered no hints.
“Nothing here,” Franklin reported from across the alley.
Levi shook his head as well. “This one’s locked tight.”
Jeremiah returned from his search further down. “No sign of him anywhere.”
Victoria clenched her jaw, frustration bubbling beneath her calm exterior. Lionel had to be here somewhere; they couldn’t afford to lose him now.
“Think,” she urged herself and her companions. “There’s got to be another way he could have slipped past us.”
Her eyes darted around again, this time focusing on details she might have missed earlier—loose bricks, slight depressions in the ground, anything that could hint at a hidden passage or an overlooked exit.
Victoria’s eyes narrowed, scanning the alley with laser-like precision. She missed nothing—except the one crucial detail above her. A soft chuckle echoed from above, catching her attention.
“Looking for someone?” The voice was light-hearted, almost whimsical, with a slurred edge that hinted at recent indulgence.
All heads snapped upward in unison. There, perched precariously on the roof’s edge like a wayward gargoyle, was Lionel. He swayed slightly, clearly enjoying the effect his sudden appearance had on the group below.
“Lionel,” Victoria called out, her voice steady despite the surprise. “Get down here.”
Lionel grinned, his teeth flashing white against the dim backdrop of the evening sky. “Ah, Vic! Always so serious,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “But really, you all look like a bunch of cats chasing a mouse that’s already gone up the drainpipe.”
Jeremiah’s eyes narrowed further, suspicion mingling with irritation. “You gonna come down and talk or just sit there flappin’ your gums?”
“Oh, I’m quite comfortable up here, thank you very much,” Lionel replied with exaggerated politeness. He tipped an imaginary hat towards Jeremiah. “But since you’re all so eager to chat… What’s the big idea following little ol’ me?”
Victoria crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin. “You know why we’re here.”
“Do I?” Lionel scratched his head theatrically. “Last I checked, I’m just a humble wanderer enjoying a drink or two—okay, maybe three—at a fine establishment.”
Levi stepped forward, his voice like gravel. “Enough games, Lionel. Where’s Cody?”
Lionel burst into laughter, nearly losing his balance on the roof’s edge. He waved a hand dismissively as he regained his footing. “Cody? Oh dear Vic and her merry band of misfits… You think I’d tell you even if I knew? Bad for my line of work Vic, you should know that!”
Lionel’s laughter faded, replaced by a sharpness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. He straightened, his carefree facade slipping just enough to reveal the edge beneath.
“Listen up, Vic,” Lionel began, his tone losing its previous playfulness. “I can’t have you and your misfits screwing up my business interests. There are bigger things at play here than your vendetta against Cody.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed, suspicion etched across her face. “What are you talking about, Lionel? What bigger picture?”
Lionel sighed, almost as if he pitied her ignorance. “You ever heard of The Head of the Serpent?”
The name meant nothing to Victoria or her crew. They exchanged puzzled glances before Victoria responded, her voice firm and unyielding. “No. And I don’t care about whatever you’re involved in. We’re here for Cody.”
Lionel’s expression turned serious, almost somber. “You should care, Vic.”
Victoria’s patience was wearing thin. “What kind of work?”
Before Lionel could respond, a faint clicking noise filled the alleyway. Victoria’s sharp eyes darted around, noticing metal gates descending from the rooftops and walls around them.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Franklin muttered, his hands instinctively reaching for his weapons.
Jeremiah spun around, searching for an exit that wasn’t being sealed off by the descending gates. Levi stepped closer to Victoria, his stance protective and ready for action.
Lionel’s voice cut through the rising tension. “See, I can’t let you wander off now that you know more than you should.”
Victoria’s eyes blazed with anger and defiance as the last gate slammed shut, trapping them in the narrow alley.
“You’re making a big mistake, Lionel,” she growled.
Lionel shrugged nonchalantly from his perch above them. “Maybe so,” he said with a smirk.
Lionel’s smirk widened as he sauntered over to one of the large water tanks perched precariously on the rooftop. His steps were deliberate, almost leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world. Victoria and her crew watched with a mix of anger and wariness, their eyes tracking his every move.
“You know,” Lionel began, his voice carrying easily over the distance, “I really do hate to do this to you all. But sometimes, business is business.”
He reached the tank and crouched down, inspecting the metal tap at its base. With a swift, practiced motion, he snapped the tap off. The sound of metal breaking echoed through the alleyway, followed by a sudden gush of water. It poured out in a torrent, cascading down and quickly flooding the narrow space below.
“Apologies, Vic!” Lionel called out, his tone mockingly sincere. “Consider this a… temporary inconvenience. If you manage to escape—” He paused, letting out a chuckle as he watched the water rise rapidly. “Well, then we can take it up again some other time.”
Victoria’s eyes widened in fury as she saw the water rushing towards them. She turned to her crew, her voice sharp and commanding. “Move! We need to find a way out!”
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