No Law

  “Grace is shot, not moving. A man is taking all the meds.” The nurse says after peeking into the medbay's waiting room, her hands shaking. Bucket knows it must be bad for a seasoned nurse to be so shook up, he needs to make sure no one else is hurt.

  “Get me up, I need something fast to get me alert.” He says to Tracy. He's the only active service member in the settlement that will help the people. Flea is still lurking about with a half dozen, maybe more, Nightfall agents.

  “I don't know, wait, I have something but, it's drastic, I...” Tracy stammers.

  “Do it.”

  Tracy goes to a cabinet and pulls out a preloaded needle the length of two fists. “Lay flat.” She orders as he lays back, looking Bucket in the eye, doubting her choice. “This could kill you.”

  “Do it!”

  She raises the needle at shoulder height and slams it down into the middle of his chest, through the bone plate. He immediately sits bolt upright and jumps to his feet, grabbing his gun.

  “Holy-fucking-shit-take-the-safety-off-for-me.” He holds the gun to Emmy, his eye feels twice as wide, every cell of his body wide awake he trembles with energy, she clicks off the safety for him.

  “Wait, let me take the needle out.” Tracy says, but Bucket has already rushed to the door.

  He pushes the door open. There is a man. Revolver in hand. Nurse, probably dead. No cross fire. Raise gun. He starts squeezing the trigger with his left hand, his first shot misses, the second one hits the man's leg, the man raises his revolver and shoots, missing. Bucket fires two more rounds, the last hitting the man in the chest.

  Nice shoot'n partner.

  “Thanks Buddy.”

  The staff rush to the downed nurse, some staff are in shock, most actively trying to revive her. The man was too good a shot—or too lucky. They continue to attempt to revive her, one by one they all give up. Buckets seen too much death to have hope for Grace. There is a sombre mood in the room as they place a sheet over her and take her away.

  “Who's in charge now?” Jan asks.

  “I guess it's me now. Dammit, how could they order all the doctors to go back to the mainland?” Tracy says. “Ok, Jan, you can shoot, you're now our guard. NO ONE armed is to enter, your only job is security.” She looks at Bucket, “Fucking hell, stay still and let me take the needle out before we get a tear in you heart.” She carefully pulls the needle out. “Bucket, come back and sit down, you need more meds and a look over before you head out there.”

  Bucket lays back down, he's trembling once again but not out of fear, the meds from the needle still coursing through his body.

  “What the hell was that needle anyways?” Bucket asks.

  “It's usually something we give people when their heart stops, it'll start to wear off shortly but should keep you alert for another hour. The SS Dartmouth is an hour out, the Captain agreed to have his sailors police the harbor for the next two days. Try to lay there and stay calm a bit, we need your heart rate down.”

  Laying there he stairs at the ceiling. Emmy puts her hand on his arm, someone putting their hand on him that's not trying to kill or maim him is soothing. He takes some deep breaths, tries to relax, tries to not process it all. Everything was so sudden, it's like they knew precisely where him and Jodi were, they went straight to his room. There is so much stink over this.

  Two women enter the back room, one has a bloodied face, the other one looks shaken. The one with the bloodied face looks lost. They help her on a bed and pull back the curtains but not fully, he can see her head. One of the nurses speaks to the girl that brought her in. “They cornered her outside the boarding house just now, in the alley...” The girl starts to sob.

  “Who did?” The nurse asks.

  “Some soldier types, not Specters. He had a tattoo of a moon on his arm.”

  This is your chance to protect Alice, if this just happened he's still there...

  Bucket turns to Emmy, she's already looking at him. Reading his intent she helps him up and they head out the door.

  “What are you gunna do? There are six of us, you can't take us all. And I have the feeling your aim is a bit off.” Moon says with a cocky sneer. The six of them are in an alley behind the women's boarding house trying to break in a window, there is all kinds of yelling from inside. With Buckets armed presence the crowd is more empowered. Emmy is standing beside him, he can see it in her eyes; it's a waste of time trying to convince her to step away. Smithy pushes through the crowd with his sawed off shotgun and nods to Bucket.

  She could have been Alice.

  “I'll start with whoever raises their gun first.” Bucket says. Assessing things he has an advantage of his gun drawn—but there are six of them and he doesn't see Flea. His mind is scrambled, he can't quite think of the full Sun Tzu quote, something about being first in the field? Gun in hand levelled at them he has the advantage.

  Buddy, do it, you're outgunned. You know what you have to...

  “Quiet.” Bucket says.

  “No ones talking Bucket. Oh, did someone drive you crazy?” Moon says, him and his men laugh.

  Alice. Remember Alice? You were young and ignorant in your youth, like all of us are, you didn't understand back then. Allllways thinking Alice wasn't punished. But whenever father was angry with her, he sent her to her room. And then he followed...

  Bucket points his gun at Moons chest and squeezes off a shot; the shot hits Moon well below centre mass. He falls to the ground, letting out a high pitched scream.

  Yes, you saved more than Alice.

  “Whoever raises their gun gets shot next.” Bucket says.

  With a look of shock, they all drop their guns and raise their hands as Moon rolls around, bleeding profusely from between his legs. Smithy leans over to Bucket, “Damn man, yous shot him in the dick.”

  “I was aiming for his chest, that worked though.”

  The crowd helps tie up the captives, Bucket walks over to Moon. Moon starts to laugh, “Well I guess the fun is over, we'll be back in no time, we're just following orders after all. Maybe I'll get one of those rebuilds, get them to add on a few inches.”

  You're not done, never let it happen again.

  Standing over Moon, Bucket barely looks at him as he fires two rounds in his chest and one in his head. A few gasps ring through the otherwise silent crowd. Moon falls back, a look of shock on his face is the last emotion he ever expresses. What does law mater if those who are in charge of enforcing it have no moral code, have no interest in even following the laws they set to control the masses? This was justice, Bucket reasons.

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  Yes buddy, justice. That's it, don't let them have control over you.

  “You just executed him in front of all these people, you fool.” One of the Nightfall agents says.

  “No, Moon was reaching for that there revolver,” Smithy yells out, “Right?! Everyone here saw him reach!” There is a chorus of voices yelling out in agreeance with Smithy's statement, like a rising chant.

  “Smithy, can you lock them up? I know it's been a while.”

  “Of course, there is no law now, I'll take them to lockup. And as much as I bitch about yous gavels stick'n yur nose in my business we need yous for people to be civilized.”

  “Everyone, go home. We need everyone off the streets. Order will be upheld.”

  “And Law.” A voice cries out.

  “NO!” Bucket yells. “For the next hour all I can do on my own is maintain Order and deliver Justice. Go home, don't be terrible to each other. If you do otherwise more Justice will be dispensed. When the sub arrives we'll have an acting police force. We'll all wake up with Order in our homes come morning, sleep well knowing this.”

  As the crowd disperses Bucket and Emmy scoops up the six revolvers. Bucket walks over to one of the Nightfall agents, levelling his pistol at his head. “Flea.” Is all Bucket says.

  “I don't know where he is, I swear! He went towards the tram, told us that 'we're in charge and the orders are to raise hell.'” He says. Bucket just stares at him, weighing the consequences of shooting them all. But no, executing 5 tied up men is wrong, he killed the one that committed the crime, these are just the assholes that helped him. The courts will deal with them.

  “Emmy, take two of the revolvers, give them to the front door gal in the boarding house, tell her no men are to enter until the sub gets here and we have some sort of police. I'm going back to my room to get some clothes, I'll meet you out here.”

  “Ok Bucket.” She says as she starts to run the guns over, she stops. “What you did was great for the whole town, Bucket, truly noble and just.” She says with a look of pride.

  “Well I wouldn't go that far Emmy, but I did what was needed.”

  “Do you know how to shoot?” Bucket asks her. Emmy kept one of the revolvers for herself.

  They're in the food court, he's standing there with his runners in hand surrounded by all the closed down vendors. He can already tell she doesn't know how to handle a gun safely, if it was a semi-automatic he would have insisted she hand it over. At least she's not pointing it at herself or him.

  “No, but you'll show me.” She says, “Sit down so I can put your runners on.” He sits on a bench in the empty food court as she kneels down putting on his socks and runners. He looks at his data pad, squinting it looks like the sub will be here in about 40 minutes, squinting and turning his head he tries to see the numbers again. Maybe 30 minutes?

  Glancing around everything looks so flat. Who knows when a Doctor will be back here, he'll probably have to get a rebuild. Fuck, he doesn't want to be pulled from the field like Glitch was. Who is he kidding? Either way does he even have a job? All he has is what's in front of him.

  “All done.” Emmy says as she stands.

  He goes to stand, she helps him. “Probably best we move around some. The longer I stay seated, the more I just want to sleep.” They walk around the Cavern in silence. There are usually some people lingering around in the dead of night; pushers, pimps and hookers and all sorts looking to give them their money. But no one is about. Word spreads fast in the Cavern; every soul awake at this hour knows of the justice dispensed.

  The money for the Cavern flows in from the Royals; there are a few businesses that export, mostly crafts and clothes. But with the Royal doing whatever the hell they did, the money will stop flowing. Those are all issues Bucket needs to sort with Jodi and probably Tales, after he's had a rest.

  Tracy walks out of the medbay and approaches. “How are you feeling Bucket?”

  “Like death warmed over. I need more meds.”

  “Well a sense of humour is a good sign, even if it's not appropriate.” She sighs, “What meds? You know, I really don't like this, but Baroness Tales said to give you what you need. You should at the very least have someone watch you.”

  “I am watching him.” Emmy declares.

  “Emmy, I mean someone, else.”

  “I'm not asking permission, he's a hero, he shot the man that did bad things. The least I can do is be here for him.”

  “Ok, fine. If he worsens you come get one of us. I'll have a med pack sent over to your room Bucket. Oh, and it wasn't just the one man.”

  “Wait, it was...” He says. Dammit, how did he not see it? His mind is too clouded with drugs.

  She has a grave look and nods to him, “Yeah. I'll have the meds sent over to your room.”

  “Emmy, hand Tracy the revolvers.” She hands Tracy the remaining four revolvers. Tracy heads back to the medbay.

  You know what this means...

  “Shut the fuck up...” He mutters.

  “Are you Ok Bucket?” Emmy asks.

  “Yes, sorry, has nothing to do with you. My head is a bit off.”

  “Well that's understandable, you clearly have been through a lot.” She puts her hand on his arm. “You'll be OK, they have rebuilds you know. They can make you an even better hand, I heard with the new eye rebuilds they can correct any issues with vision. Oh, and you have free breakfasts from now on, I won't let them charge you.”

  “That's nice Emmy, thank you.”

  They continue walking the docks, having her here right now is keeping his mind off all that's gone on tonight. He pulls out his cigarette pack and lighter, looking at her she takes two out, gingerly holding them like one holds a teabag string they're removing from their cup.

  “You don't smoke, do you?”

  “Of course I do. I can. I will. Let me light them.” She lights Buckets, he takes a long drag. Pinching her cigarette she holds it to her mouth and takes a small puff before coughing.

  “It takes a bit to get used to.” He looks at her and shakes his head smiling.

  “Don't look at me like that.” She says with an annoyed tone.

  “Like what?”

  “Like I'm a little kid. You know I'm 22, everyone treats me like I'm a little kid. Just because I'm not tall doesn't mean I'm a child. You're my age, are you a kid?”

  “I'm not your age, I'm 24.”

  “Yes, two years older, much older...”

  “Well I do have more wear and tear,” He holds up his right arm, “But you're right. You know how it is, people tend to follow how others act.” He doesn’t really think of her as a child though, even when she’s being difficult or being bossy at the vendor he just kind of goes along with it. ”So, we can't fire the gun but I can show you how to shoot.”

  “Show me.”

  “Pull the pin on the front forward, press the cylinder sideways and take the 6 bullets out.” She does as instructed. “Now point and pull the trigger.”

  She points the gun at the far side of the Cavern with one hand holding it sideways and clicks the trigger a few times “Like that?”

  “No, you won't hit shit that way. Use two hands.” She puts her second hand over the top of the gun.

  “Like this?”

  “No, you'll shoot your own hand, here,” he stands behind her, his arms around her he moves her left hand down. “Now just take a deep breath, relax and pull the trigger.” She takes a deep, uneven breath and exhales smoothly pulling the trigger. Pointing out over the water she pulls again.

  Bucket is overwhelmed with a sense of deja vu but he can't put his finger on it. Why is this so familiar? Shaking his head he realizes his arms are still around her, having no idea how long they were standing there like that. But neither of them move; neither feel uncomfortable. A buzzer rings and the submarine bay doors start opening.

  “We probably shouldn't be pointing the gun at the sub when they open the hatch.” She says in a tone no louder than a whisper.

  “Yeah “ He moves his arms from her.

  The drugs are wearing off as he's sitting on the edge of his bed, his mind being flooded with the nights events as the foggy haze clears. The side effects of the drugs, the physical pain and weight of the nights events cause him to shiver. He needs more painkillers, Emmy thoroughly read the instructions, he's already over twice his allowable dosage. He doesn't have the energy to argue.

  “Here, take these.” She says. He doesn't even know what it is but it can't make things worse. Or so he thought. Sitting on the edge of the bed he can't move.

  “What did you give me?”

  “A sedative. You need to sleep.” He tries to fight it but he can barely keep his eyes open, the sedative is working fast. She starts pulling at his clothes. ”Stop being difficult, you can be a hero again after you get some sleep.”

  She shoves him around on the bed like a sack of potatoes. Under the covers he's still shivering, cold, he can't keep his eyes open. He feels a soothing warmth from Emmy beside him. “You'll feel better not shivering. Sleep.” She orders, giving him a peck on the cheek.

  The peck on the cheek floods his mind with why he feels deja vu, why he is so comfortable around her, why Ryan is agreeable to her. Him and Ryan speak the same thing at once as he drifts into a drug induced slumber:

  ANGELA.