Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

It was late when Molly closed up shop. One of the only pawn shops in Somewhere meant she had constant business. Though that was going to dry up soon. With the mine closing people were panicking and most were either going to try and whether the storm, or were selling anything of value so they can get out of dodge.

More the former than the latter. The townsfolk were stubborn and weren't going to give up so easy. Though the thought of leaving crossed her mind as well it was a pipe dream. She barely had enough to keep the shop running let alone up and pack to God knows where!

She walked towards the iron bar door. It was always a good investment to keep your valuables secured, especially a pawn shop. It was more for sound of mind than actual security, Somewhere had a negligible crime rate. WAS being the word. With the spike in crime lately from gangs of sick bums running around it was better safe than sorry!

She didn't think a bunch of bums would cause so much trouble. But for days now she's seen on the local news of them causing havoc in the denser part of town. The news wasn't sure they were orphaned kids or just really short people. But every time they showed up was the same picture. The little devils would ambush people in the dead of night in the darker areas. Most of the time people could fight them off and be fine save for some missing bits of jewelry.

But sometimes they weren't so lucky. Already a handful of people have died from being attacked, and they weren't pretty. The green bastards were brutal! She didn't pay much attention when that Duval came by "asking" for protection money. But maybe he had a point. The police force was nothing but a skeleton crew of the sheriff and his 2 deputies. He's been scrambling to get more badges on the ground but that's been less than successful. She's seen maybe 2 other cops out on the streets since and they looked more like someone with the family rifle was given a badge rather than a trained cop.

She didn't like the Duvals, almost the whole town didn't, but if her choice is putting her faith in the middling law enforcement or whatever shallow promise of "protection" the Duval gave, she'd probably just settle with holing herself up in the shop!

Molly yawned as she went to lock up the iron door. Her key didn't enter the lock before the iron door was pushed open and she fell down! She scrambled towards her purse, and the snub-nose inside, but was stopped when a ugly, beady yellow eyed, green face leered at her. She abandoned her purse and scrambled back. Five of the green bums were now in her shop!

"Get out! All of you! I ain't buyin' whatever goods you stole!" She yelled. But from the looks on their ugly bumpy faces they weren't looking to sell her anything.

One of them hissed and advanced on her with a couple others while the rest spread out and began to trash her store! She backed up and grabbed a 9-iron and held it out menacingly at the intruders.

"Last chance you fucks!"

They hissed at her before charging her with a shrill yell. She swung her golf club and dinged one in the head, knocking him out cold. She brought it back around and clipped one of the others. But she was too slow for the 3rd as he lunged for her!

She screamed as she fell backwards. Her and the green intruder struggling for ownership of the golf club. In the background she could hear her shop getting looted and ransacked by the others! Even if she survived intact it would cost whatever she had left to replace everything!

She brought her head forward and butted the intruder in the face. Breaking his large nose with a wet crack as he fell back from the impact. She scrambled up and brought the 9-iron down on the green thief until he stopped moving. She looked up at the rest of the intruders. Which were now many more! She saw the iron door still open and several others wander in!

She threw her weapon at one of them on the glass counter, earning a yelp of pain from the verdant invader, and dived for her purse and pulled out the 38! As it cleared her purse opening however one of the invaders grabbed the revolver. She and him struggled to get possession of the firearm. She didn't dare pull the headbutt off again as the snub barrel of the gun was being pushed towards her.

The green burglar chuckled as he pushed the gun closer and closer to her face. The others had stopped their looting to watch and cheer on their fellow ner-do-well. This was it, she thought, at least it was going down fighting.

Then a cry came as several uniformed men stormed inside and met the invaders in combat. Though that was putting it lightly as they buckled from the charge. Most met their ends the second the uniformed men brought down their clubs. While others just outright fled from them! The only one that didn't was the one she was struggling with. He seemed hellbent on finishing her off!

"You! Wretch! 'Ow dare you!" Came a slightly deep voice from one of the uniformed men as he marched over and grabbed the invader by the back of the neck and wrenching him, and her gun, away from her.

The little green man yelled and screamed and begged them to spare him. Pleas that went unheard as he was thrown onto the ground and met his swift end as a booted heel connected with the back of his skull!

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The others faired little better as they were either clubbed to death or were dragged kicking and screaming outside, screaming which were promptly cut off. The one that saved her marched over to her and offered a hand to help her up, which she gladly accepted.

She looked up into the face of the man that saved her, but had to look down instead as she realized that all of the uniformed men were shorter than she was! Not short like the green bums were, but still enough that it threw her off guard. She wasn't tall by any means, just about 5'5 but even they just barely came to her chest in height.

She looked down at the face of the man who saved her.

"Thanks for the help."

The man, who's skin was a tannish color and whos eyes were a striking orange, spoke to her in some kind of broken English with a slight French accent.

"Da Boss sent us!"

"Boss?"

"Das right! Misstah Duval!"

Hmph, maybe he wasn't full of shit after all, Molly thought as she took in the sight of the short men, they all wore some kind of military uniform. But none she could recognize.

"Well, tell your Boss that he has my thanks. But I didn't pay for his protection."

"Not YET! We wuz nearby when dis 'appened, but wot about next?" The man asked as he gestured around at the shop.

Damnit, he was right, she thought. As loath as she was to give credit to that Duval he was right. She got lucky tonight, and only just. So she'll pay for this "protection". For now.

"Fine." She said simply as she marched to the register and pulled out a few 50s, unaware the other Red Caps were pocketing bits of cloth, bronze, copper. Stuff that they needed to keep their numbers supplied. Plus a couple weapons that "vanished during the chaos".

She put the cash in the man's awaiting hand.

"How do I know that this isn't just a load of bull?"

He gestured for her to follow, which she did, after closing up the shop once it was clear. He lead her around the side of the building to the front. Where she found the hanging corpses of the green intruders hanging from her store sign and the nearby lamppost.

If this was a con, then they were doing their damndest to sell it. Then again, they can't extort money from dead bodies.

"Alright fine. So how will this work?"

"A cuple boys will stay outside da shop. Noight 'nd day! Make shur dat da wretches don't come bak! Next week I comes bak ta collect!" He stated simply.

"Fair enough. They aren't goin' to bother me or my customers will they?"

"Nope, dey stays outside. De'll only com in if you or aye says so!"

"Alright, then I'll see you lot tomorrow then?" She asked and left when the man gave her a nod in confirmation. She climbed up the stairs on the side of her building and went inside to her home above the shop. She didn't breathe easy until all 4 locks on her door were set and she fell onto her couch with a sigh of relief.

The Headman watched the human woman leave. After which he stationed two guards on the shop. One on the shop door and another at the bottom of the stairs to the human's home. They can't get paid if their dead, and the boss wouldn't like it either. Not only that, if someone they were charged with protecting died under their watch then it was an insult to their image! If they died to these pathetic goblins then even more so!

The Headman and his retinue marched back to base. As they did he made a brief stop at the various places under their protection. The bodies of goblins, both those that they sent to scare them into being more willing to accept their protection as well as the rogue goblins, hung from various poles.

They were the ones that fled every which way when the mine was assaulted by those creatures in the dark. Some fled into the wilderness, he wasn't sure if they survived or not, and some fled into the town. It would seem they've taken a liking to the urban environment and have more or less taken complete control of the general crime of the denser part of the town.

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the odd goblin crawl through the darkness. They were a trivial issue to the Red Caps, but for the humans of the town? They were a growing threat, and the events of the night proved that local human guards weren't capable to deal with them. But that was good for the Boss and the Red Caps. It just meant that there was a threat that they needed protection from. THEIR protection. Protection that they would willingly, though maybe not happily, pay for!

The Boss wanted the money, but said that they could claim anything they needed for supplies, as long as it wasn't outright robbery he didn't care. Some were even content to pay them with "garbage" and "junk", but for the Red Caps? It was well needed supplies for their growing numbers!

While the Red Caps were growing slowly, the goblins numbers continued to explode. Which meant that they were running out of room to house the worthless creatures! When asked about this the Boss had the idea of using goblins to scare the residents! Then all the Red Caps had to do was march in and kill them! What did the Boss say? Two birds one stone? The Headman wasn't sure what that had to do with anything but he wasn't going to argue that it worked!

"Roight yew lot! 'And ovah yer shiney... bits?" A shrill voice came as a single goblin jumped out and held a crude shiv towards the Red Caps. The look on the Red Caps were unamused though at the presumptuous goblin. He chuckled and dropped the shiv and made for the nearby alley. But didn't get far before one of the Red Caps grabbed his thin leg and dragged him back into the light of the lamppost.

The Red Cap thrashed him against the sidewalk repeatedly, ignoring the cries of pain and protest. Which silenced with one last smash against the concrete. The group just gave a disinterested sniff and marched on. Leaving the bloody, twitching corpse of the goblin to get picked over by scavengers.

The Headman and the others nodded as the guards of the manor let them through. The rest of them went to the officers hall while the Headman marched upstairs towards Morty's office. He rapped three times before entering. He saw Morty going over documents on his desk, a lamp illuminated it and a glass of fine bourbon sat nearby, a glass decanter sitting next to it for easy refill.

"How did it go?" Morty asked as he continued his painstakingly annoying accounting.

"All went accordin' to plan Boss!"

"Good! And payment?"

The Headman marched over and deposited several wads of bills and change on the desk. Not much for now, but that'll change once they start occupying more of the town. Before long the town will be paying him and his army taxes instead of that fat fuck and the other rolling balls of lard!

He did a quick count and added the amount to the books.

"Good. Anything else to report?"

"No Boss!"

"Alright then! Goodnight, Colonel!" Morty said and gave a mock salute.

Though Morty was joking, the Headman took it very serious! He had a rank! A PROPER rank! Not just a general title to differentiate him from the rest but an actual rank of authority! He had somewhat authority because of his closeness to the Boss. But now he had an ACTUAL rank he can call and display with pride! Like the ones in the books of Nap Lion! If he was Colonel then that meant that the boss was his General!

The Hea-COLONEL saluted his superior briskly.

"Goodnoight. General!"

Morty returned the salute as the Colonel marched back to his quarters. No doubt to begin taking his new, official, role with vigor. Morty returned to his accounting but paused as he chuckled.

"General?"

He was kinda playing general for fun. But with how the rest of the army was forming maybe he should start taking it more seriously. Maybe he can get a replica of Napoleon's outfit to wear while he inspects the troops. He barked at the thought of lines of formations as his Red Caps marched through town with him on a horse at their head!

He turned towards a mirror in the corner and posed like Napoleon did.

"Le Petit Corporal? Non! Le Petit Roi! Le Petit Empereur!" Morty chuckled and sat back down. But he couldn't help but glance back at the mirror now and then.