Bounty Hunters

Maximus

I pulled myself up onto the wreck of a house. The roof creaks under my leather boots as I made my way over to the chimney. Sitting down behind it, I pull a drawing of a man from my pocket.

The man's face was round with fat cheeks. His eyes are small and squinted. Messy black hair hangs over his large forehead.

Looking around the side of the chimney, I can see the fat, rich man.

He stands in a courtyard surrounded by many people. Rich folk, and I suspect my target, Richard Weston, is a man of high power by the way he's dressed and how he carries himself in the crowd.

Everyone in the crowd seems to recognize him as he passes but none seem to happy to see him. Richard is a tax collector and a liar. He takes more than he's supposed to and about two days ago a bounty was set for his head by a group of peasants. 1000 silver. Perhaps peasants isn't quite the right name.

While I shove the drawing back in my pocket I pull miniature crossbow, Jam, from my side. It doesn't always fire, earning it its name, but when it does its deadlier than any other crossbow.

A pocket on the inside of my cloak holds my bolts. I load one in the bowstring and peek around the side of the chimney.

Richard is on the move. I let out an annoyed sigh and jump to the next rooftop.

Richard stops suddenly to talk to another man dressed much like him. They shake hands and the other man seems to laugh. If I'm going to shoot it'd be best to do it now while they talk.

As I'm aiming my something catches my eye. The shining of a guards armor as he walks bye. He's followed by at least a dozen other guards. All of them wear steel armor and hold longswords on their backs.

I lay flat against this roof. With no chimney I'm more exposed.

The guards walk past Richard and the man as if they aren't there. Once they're gone, Richard and the man turn and walk down an alley.

Annoyed, I stick Jam by my side and make my way down the building.

Once on the ground I remove my hood from my head and stick my hand in my pockets.

The guards have stopped and seem to be interrogating a small, elderly man. One guard with a cape on his shoulder is grabbing the man by the arm.

I mind my own business and keep moving.

The alley itself is dark and musty. Pools of water lie on the ground and as I go deeper I see several blood splats on the walls and ground.

I pull my hood over my head and ready Jam once more.

Up ahead I can hear several voices. All of which are unfamiliar. Most of them are deep but a few high pitched ones stand out.

I push myself against the wall as I come upon a corner. I peek around the side of the wall to see a group of men around a small fire. Richard stands among them.

"I believe it's time Quinn," a skinny man says through a pipe. It was the man standing with Richard. He's older and wrinkles cover his face. A white beard lines his face.

The man named Quinn looks up. A cloth is wrapped around his head, covering one eye. "It's only time if you have what I request."

"I'll have what you request when the job's done."

Quinn seems to murmur something u see his breathe. "Do you at least have a weapon for me? I lost my sword on the last job you gave me." He adjusts his wrap.

"Of course," he replies, pulling a sword from his side. The light of the fire gives it an orange tint.

Quinn takes the sword and examines it before putting him in an empty sheathe.

"I'll leave at dawn," Quinn says.

With that their conversation comes to a close.

I turn the corner and fire at Richard. It jams. Quinn pulls his sword but before he can I kick him backwards into a wall.

Before anyone can move I spin. The small gust from my cloak blows out the fire.

In the dark I can hear men shuffling. I listen closely for clumsy steps. Steps that would only belong to Richard.

I hear them down the alley. Running. I dart after him.

Up ahead light shines from around the corner. Quickly, I fix Jam and fire. This time the bolt lands in the back of his skull.

From behind I hear the swing of a sword. I step to the side, dodging a swing from Quinn.

I uppercut him and grab my short sword, Tray, from my side.

With Jam in my left hand and Tray in my right I dual Quinn.

He recovers quickly and attempts to stab me. I side step his blade and slice his arm. Blood trickles down his arm to his hand. He tells in pain and swings at me again.

I block it with Tray. Slowly I slide Tray towards his hand. However, Quinn sends my sword flying out of my hand towards the ground.

Without thinking I kick him in the knee and then with my other foot kick his sword out of his hand. His sword slides down the alley. Quinn runs for it.

I pull a bolt from my cloak and as he stands I fire it into his neck.

Down the alley, back where I came from, I see the fire come back to life from the corner f my eye. Beside it stands the old man with the pipe.

I reach for another bolt but the man holds out his hand, gesturing for me to stop. He pulls his pipe from his mouth and speaks.

"Come forth boy," he says with a smile,"let's talk business."

Sorry it took so long to come out with another chapter. It took me a while to plan how I wanted the chapter to play out. Hope you guys liked it! :D