Gauntlet - Episode 23.

Episode 23 – Spurred Bulls and Bullies

The reinforced safe house door rang with a resounding echo as someone used it effectively to announce their demand for attention with a series of loud knocks. Lost adrift a rather pleasant daydream, Dyzon’s feet fell from their perch as he was returned back to reality. Another round of rapped poundings came while he struggled to clear the fog of confusion that clung to his distracted mind.

“Someone is at the door,” Caess pointed out without bothering to look up from whatever tinkering project currently laid before him. “Thanks for the update,” Dyzon countered, not bothering to hide the agitated edge in his tone. “Don’t worry though Caess, I will get the door, I’d hate to tear you away from anything important.”

Oblivious to any intended insult Caess simply kept working, his attention completely lost on anything else. “Appreciated,” he added automatically. Dyzon grunted as he rose from his comfortable spot, resenting the interruption of what had become a fun dream and headed for the door. Before he could even answer the blasted thing a third pattern of pounds erupted.

“Yeah, yeah; keep your pants on,” Dyzon told the closed door. A keypad beside the door beeped in a steady rhythm as he punched in the access code that allowed it to open. He didn’t see any reason to bother checking who was outside; the only people who might even show up at this location were him and the Bull-Boys themselves or a handful of others loyal to Taurus himself.

“What is it,” Dyzon demanded before the door had barely finished opening with a hushed hiss. “What is so important that it has you beating on our door like your rear is ablaze?” Looking back at him was a frantic young face belonging to a boy barely old enough to have hair on his chin. Whether urgent or otherwise, Dyzon had no doubt to this kid the delivery of his message had to be the most important thing he had ever been asked to do. If he was lucky the boy would remember to breathe.

“I have word from the Red Bull himself,” the boy began and didn’t seem to be about to wait long enough for anyone to acknowledge his claim. “He says he wants the man calling himself Gauntlet eliminated immediately. Mr. Taurus says that he doesn’t want him causing any more trouble like he did for Eris at the bank. Crush him and anyone else who even considers standing against Mr. Taurus’s interests – his words.”

“Whoa, rein that horse in speedy,” Dyzon exclaimed as he rubbed at his forehead trying to let everything sink in. “Run that bit by me again about Eris and a bank; am I missing something or are you implying that she tried to rob the bank? And by the sound of it she managed to find herself running into some opposition? Details boy, fill in the blanks here.”

The young messenger’s eyes began to dart about as he was decidedly unprepared to have to provide more than just the recited message. “Uh, well – yeah, Dizcord’s Daemons tried to rob the bank,” he stumbled to explain. “Some drifter showed up and shot down all three of the Bot Brothers before running them off. They say the town has called the man an outlaw and an enemy of the public. He doesn’t sound like much, probably already skipped town anyway.”

“Run along then runt,” Dyzon ordered before clicking for the door to close. “Caess, where are the rest of the boys at, looks likes we get to make some trouble in town.” The ruby eyed Krysanthian barely paused before he relayed their location. “Wynt is having a drink as usual and Briscole is probably practicing his pummeling. They’re both off in the back somewhere; want me to get them in here for you?”

“Yeah, make it quick too,” Dyzon advised with a sadistic smile. “If old Eris is off licking her wounds with her tail tucked I want to make the most of the moment and show her you handle a troublemaker. It’s high time Taurus saw just how worthless that whole lot is and just how valuable we really are.”

“How you going to find this Gauntlet guy anyways,” Caess asked as he was about to leave the room. “If this fellow fancies himself the hero then we will just have to tear the town up a bit to draw him out. Why hunt him down when he’ll come to us all on his own?”

Caess considered the fact that this man had supposedly taken out three of Eris’s crew single-handedly. Even with Dyzon’s low estimation of the Daemons, he had to admit that perhaps a small measure of caution was in order. Although, whatever the fool was thinking to make him even remotely consider attacking a whole crew of robbers he couldn’t imagine. Well, perhaps the guy was dumb enough to make it easy on them. If not just maybe he was smart enough to already have cleared out of town. Either way a trip to town was a welcome thing; he could use some new parts for his tinkering.