"So you didn't kill him?" Blaspheme asked Rafferty.

It was their first day in Falls Rock. Rafferty had been given two days of town liaison duty. To ease her back in, or at least that's what Max said. She supposed she should be glad it was only two days. Having Blaspheme here might make it tolerable, even if she was going to force Rafferty to talk about things she'd rather not talk about.

"No. He flew a good ways and didn't move at first, but he was fine," she answered.

"Did you check on him, or just leave him for the buzzards?" Blaspheme asked.

"I … checked," Rafferty answered.

"Because you love him…." Blaspheme teased.

"Shut up," she said, shoving Blaspheme away. The taller girl laughed, and sidled up next to Rafferty again a moment later. Not before she shook out her long blonde curls, and positioned her black hat just so, Rafferty noticed.

"Was he pissed?" Blaspheme asked.

"No," said Rafferty, sounding almost disappointed. "He was smiling. He said it was a fun ride."

"I like him already," said Blaspheme.

"Because he's just like you," said Rafferty.

"Then he sounds perfect. You should marry this fool," teased Blaspheme.

"You are so full of yourself," Rafferty shot back.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Me? I'm not the one whose latest token is watching over all of us like the Christmas Falcon. I mean, you should see the looks the other girls give that thing," Blaspheme said.

Wait, what?

"What looks?" Rafferty asked, trying not to sound concerned.

"Well, the younger girls are like this," Blaspheme said, putting her hands on her cheeks and making her eyes big, like she was fawning over a baby animal. "And the older girls are like this," she said, folding her arms and squinting at Rafferty sideways, her face a mixture of anger and disgust.

"Anyway," Blaspheme continued before Rafferty could respond, "this, what's his name, I heard he was cute."

"Vincent. No, not really. I guess if you like that sort of thing. I mean, he's slightly less cute at the moment than he was when he met me," Rafferty, not quite rambling.

Blaspheme was amused. Before she could say anything, she was interrupted by a boy, maybe fourteen years old. Rafferty had noticed him hovering a few minutes ago.

"Hi Blaspheme," he said nervously.

Blaspheme whirled around, glaring at the kid.

"Scram, Puberty Boy. Seriously, I will end your burgeoning manhood right here, right now," she growled. She let her fingertips dance over the handle of the large revolver that dangled from her belt. Bits of Blue crackled through the weapon.

The boy took a few steps backward, then turned and ran. Still, Rafferty was pretty sure he'd gotten what he came for.

"These townies are the bane of my existence," Blaspheme said, with a big Blaspheme scowl on her face.

Sure. That's why you've posed for photographs with everyone here, and why you pull twice as many town stints as anyone else. Or why the outfit you wear here shows just a little bit of cleavage and your normal one doesn't.

Rafferty's own goal was to escape the next two days without having her picture taken.

"I just can't believe he's a Roughcoat," Rafferty said, turning the conversation back to Vincent, much to her own surprise.

"Why not?"

"I thought they were… serious," she said.

"You can be fun and still be awesome at your job," said Blaspheme, making an exaggerated gesture toward herself. "So, do you know anything about this meeting?"

"Just that it's the day after tomorrow. Vincent says they need our help," Rafferty said. It was all anyone was talking about when they left, but nobody really seemed to know anything.

"You got us an invite, right? Since you let him see you naked and all?" Blaspheme asked.

"I didn't—" Rafferty started, but then stopped, refusing to take the bait. "Yeah, we're invited."

"Sweet. Whatever the job is, I already want it," Blaspheme said.

They rounded a corner. There was a group of people in front of them. Many of them were holding antique cameras.

Blaspheme let out a little growl.

"I'll deal with this," she told Rafferty, and stormed toward the group.

While Blaspheme yelled at the assembly, Rafferty was thinking about the meeting. She wondered if she wanted the job too, no matter what it was. Did she want to work with Vincent, even if it was exciting? Were the other Roughcoats like him? That would be awful.

"Hey, Rafferty. This clingy sack of pussies is insisting on having their pictures taken with a couple of real live heroes. Get over here so I don't have to listen to their whining anymore. Hurry up. There's a line," Blaspheme called.

Balls.