The God and the Thief

Piedmont Reunion(40)

Dipper POV

Mabel was to her feet, her hands gripping at my good arm like a vice. "Ford?" she asked but she already knew the answer, like I did. How many six fingered men do you know in Gravity Falls, I only one.

"Why are we waiting for him?" I hissed dread building in my stomach

The Manotour reached out and flicked my head, making me stumbled back into Mabel, "Bounty" he huffed.

What kind of bounty could Ford have possibly put out that would interest the Manotours?? I would ask but it sounds like he really didn't want to talk to me. But if Ford put out a bounty that means Stan went back and knows me and Mabel left. I can't just wait here to get caught again. I looked for an exit again but still I can't see anything. All I can see is the crowd of manotours and the fires lit around the room made it hard to see light from an exit. Crap. I don't know how to get out of here. I have to leave. I don't even know how long we've been here. Or how long it's been since they've told Ford we are here. I felt frozen and hopeless.

"Whatever he's offered please let me repay it to you, I must leave." I tried keeping the desperation from my voice but it rang, clear as day.

They all burst out laughing, "A little weakling like you!" one barked. "You can not." the main one jeered.

"What, what is it he's offered you?" I asked, trying.

"That weakling's head on a stake."

I blinked. Who? "Who?" they laughed more.

"The god of the forest, he's gone weak!" "Soft" "Stupid" they all started yelling trying to one up each other with insults.

Bill? They want Bill?

The conversation was cut short however but a yell from the far side of the room followed by the heave smell of blood.

Bill POV

Wendy led me quickly through the town, well as quickly as she could not being fully healed. Humans are so frail. We had to move threw back roots to avoid public eye, she was still drenched in her own blood and we do not need some stupid human calling the police on us.

She didn't complain or speak much, it was boring. Pinetree would have been rambling on about something by now or prawding me with questions barreling waiting for the answers.

She turned another corner before stopping in her tracks.

"What is it?" I ask coming up next to her to see what she was looking at. Down the street of houses one was crowded with cop cars and people. So much for avoiding the police. "Don't tell me." She nodded. "Dammit. I was hoping to avoid this." I hissed. No avoiding it now, I walked down the street towards the house. "Come on. Less you want to walk about to Gravity Falls." I called back over my shoulder at her when I couldn't hear her following me. I wonder if Ford gave these men my description, if he did, I wonder how long it will take for them to notice me. Approaching the house I could see the scene better. The front yard was tapped off and the front door was open, people walking in and out talking to each other quickly and quietly, a small crowd had form on the outside of the tap.

I walked up into the crowd, "what's happening here?" I asked no one in particular.

A woman, several years older than Pinetree, glances at me. "Don't know. Don't think it's a murder tho no ambulances just cops. But they ain't sayin anything." she said swiftly eyes back on the cops. "Think it's a kidnapping." another bystander piped up. They all seems to agree, "tragic." "I knew the pines, thought their kids were all grown." "They are but adults get snagged to" "So sad they were such good kids." "musta been the girl right?" "don't know only seen the parents go in." It was a kidnapping alright, but it wasn't from here, and it wasn't the girl. These people didn't know anything, so I pushed my way up to the tap and ducked under it. "Hey" people from the crowd called, "you can't go in there." their shouting caught the attention of some of the cops.