Week 5.3 – Twain’s Story

Previously: Digger learned that the infamous Cobalt Czar was behind the plot against him as Twain described what happened in Mongolia. He had infiltrated the mysterious City of the Moon, only to be struck from behind.  And now…

“Was it the Czar?” Digger asked.

“No,” Twain said. “The Czar’s a brute, but he’s not a monster. At least, not on the outside. And last time I checked, you couldn’t see through him.”

“Through?”

“Yeah. Like a ghost or something. And I couldn’t swear to it,  but I think I saw someone behind him,” Twain said. “ Or, um, through him. It was dark. And then the thing screamed at me and hit me again and I was out.”

“How did he hit you?” Digger asked.

“Uh, with his hand, duh,” Twain said.

“Oh, come on. We live in a world where guys can shoot you with fire or laser beams or explosions.” Digger waved his Driller for emphasis. “When they’re not booby-trapped. Guys who can call down lightning or zap you with their minds. I almost got killed by a guy throwing toothpicks once. So don’t act like that was a dumb question.”

“Well, if he’d hit me some other way, I would have mentioned it,” Twain said.

“So what happened next?” Digger asked.

“First things first,” Twain said. “You going to get us some gas money or what?”

“Yeah,” Digger said after a moment. “Let’s go to the Traveler’s.”

***

“Hey, Digger,” Jill the bartender said, looking at him suspiciously as he walked in with Twain. “I didn’t think you two knew each other. You buddies now?”

Digger turned to Twain. “What’s she talking about?”

Twain didn’t answer, but his smile was sly.

“He was in here last night,” Jill said, “sitting right next to you. You didn’t say a word to each other the entire time. Now I hear you’ve robbed a bank? What’s going on?”

“Yeah, we’d like to hear this, too,” said a voice from behind them.

Digger turned to see two men with pistols drawn and trained on him. “Don’t move,” said the same man who had just spoken. He flashed a badge with one hand. “Detective Merrick, BPD. You’re under arrest for the robbery of MCP National Bank, downtown.”

“You know, if you fire those things in here, somebody could get hurt,” Digger said.

Merrick slipped the badge into his jacket pocket, then took up a two-handed firing stance. “That’s what they’re made to do,” he said. “So come along quietly and you won’t be.”

“I wasn’t talking about me,” Digger said. “Jill, you should get down behind the bar.”

“Digger, don’t do anything stupid,” Jill said.

“How long have you known me?”

“Oh God,” she said and squatted down.

“I’m warn…” she heard the detective say, cut off by a smack as a shot rang out. A bottle of Dalmore on the bar shattered. She closed her eyes as the drops spattered in her hair. She heard the crash of furniture, and then Digger’s voice said, “Jill, you okay?”

She stood up. The place was a mess, the two detectives unconscious on the floor. “Are you crazy?”

Digger laid two pistols on the bar. “No, I need to borrow some money.”

What will happen next? Be here tomorrow for a special double-length episode to finish the week!

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