Bounty Hunter

Chapter 49

Bolt and Tumbler entered Madame Bovary's House of Pleasure in full armor and with their blasters in hand. The prostitutes inside skittered away upon seeing them, and the madame rushed forward. Bolt could tell she'd been pretty in her younger days, but age had taken her smooth skin and feminine curves.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for weapons drawn here," she said.

"We're looking for someone," Bolt began pleasantly.

"We know he's here. One of your whores tipped us off," Tumbler blurted out.

Bolt tossed a glare at his partner, though even without his helmet, Tumbler still wouldn't have noticed.

"I'm hoping you can help us. It's very important I find my friend." Bolt holstered his blaster and pulled out a handful of credits.

The madame perked up. "Our patrons come here for discretion."

Bolt reached into his pocket and pulled out more credits. In his hand, he held more credits than most people saw in a month, but he knew how brothels worked. They provided safe havens to patrons...up to a point. Each madame had a different point. This one was one of the more expensive ones.

She smiled. "Perhaps I can be of assistance."

"A bounty hunter came in earlier wearing an exoshield. The name on his armor is Havoc."

After a length, she spoke. "I have seen him. He is a guest here."

"Wonderful," said Bolt. "If you could help us, we promise to maintain discretion. Our blasters are set on stun." He gently took her hand and dropped the credits onto her palm, clinking one at a time.

Her fingers closed over the credits, and she pocketed them into her skirt. The madame fished out a chain with a multitude of keycards on it, flipped through them, and snapped off one. She handed the card to Bolt, and her gaze brushed over the stairway that led below ground. "Room Sixteen," she said, then turned and walked away.

Bolt led the way down the stairs and through the hallway.

"My blaster's set on kill," Tumbler said as they walked.

Bolt grinned. "Mine is too."

When they reached the right door, Bolt gave a simple nod to Tumbler before swiping the keycard over the panel on the wall. The door opened, and the pair lunged inside.

A bald man wearing an exoshield minus the helmet was sitting on the chair. He looked up from a book he'd been reading, and his eyes widened.

Their bounty stepped into the doorway across the sitting room. Bolt grinned, swung his blaster over, and fired.