Chapter 4: Fallen Angels
The bank at Trenton was robbed barely a after three men were killed at Somerset. The robbers, only known by the names Mr and Mrs Peterborough, had gotten away with six hundred dollars.
The robbery had gone surprisingly smoothly, as Mr. Peterborough had requested a personal tour of the bank. This was granted mainly due to the fifty dollars that were generously donated to the pocket of the bank manager.
Once the Peterboroughs entered the vault, they immediately held the bank manager hostage and stole six hundred dollars. They then exited the vault and used the bank manager as a human shield while they exited the building. Once they got onto their horses, the bank manager was freed. This incident was remarkably similar to a bank robbery that had happened at Coalesce, except for the fact that there was only one robber at Coalesce.
Meanwhile, two demons had arrived at New Brunswick, apparently having just left Trenton.
The two demons were Vickery and Piedmont, of course, and they had both watched the bank robbery unfold. They would have joined in, except for the fact that Dante had only prepared a bribe large enough for two people to take advantage of.
Regardless, Vickery and Piedmont were both at New Brunswick now, and the two of them had just spotted Zeeland and Finjo.
The four outlaws met just outside of the sheriff's office, and quickly walked their way to a table located at a small park.
Once they all sat down, Zeeland placed his hands on the table and looked at Vickery.
“So, I hear you were in Trenton.”
“Word travels that fast, ehh? Well I wasn't a part of the bank robbery, but I got to watch it go down.” Vickery explained.
“So is Dante actually capable?” Zeeland asked.
“I'd say so. He used Peterborough as a name which might trace back to Calistoga, but that's solvable enough. Sides, he was far less violent than I anticipated.”
“Less violent? Most bank robberies aren't meant to end with death.”
“Guess I've had bad luck then cause I had to shoot out of some.”
“Well, remind me to never go bank robbing with you. Besides that, is his gang idea actually viable?”
“That's the question, now personally, the only person I'd be worried about is Calistoga.”
“Calistoga is most questionable, I'd agree, but he's not exactly a stranger.”
“It's not loyalty I'm worried about, it's the fact that he might be…losing it.”
“Losing it?”
“He rode into Trenton asking where Dante was. He sounded…regretful. You heard what happened at Somerset?”
“Well yes…we will need to deal with the O'Hallorans at some point. But, Calistoga has killed before, and he's killed people that were much more innocent.”
“Yes, he has killed innocent people before. That alone makes me uncomfortable, especially because he isn't exactly apologizing for it.”
“Damn it, Vickery, don't bullshit me on morals.” A voice suddenly suggested.
Calistoga had appeared, looking displeased at the group. “Look, I ain't no saint, but you're one to talk on killing innocent people.”
Vickery shook his head. “That was during war, I was a different man then.”
“Bullshit, you never left the war, you only changed the battlefield.” Calistoga sat down, right across from Vickery.
Zeeland, who was sitting right next to him, shook his head. “Let's not argue about philosophy please, especially considering the fact that the debaters would both be in the wrong.”
Calistoga smirked. “Alright, let's discuss Dante instead.”
“What is there to say?” Finjo asked.
“Well considering what he's up against, and such Bradlerek is now dead, I say we stick together.”
“I heard about that, how long before Stroudsburg goes after you?” Piedmont asked.
Calistoga shrugged. “A few days at least. Risch is dead too so it buys us valuable time.”
Piedmont nodded. “So, who would lead this so-called gang?”
“Oh no, that's a bad idea.” Finjo interrupted. “Let's be honest, half of us would try to seize power.”
“He's right, that's why I'm thinking that we do things via popular vote. There would only be six or seven of us, and since all of us are rarely bullheaded, it could work out.” Calistoga explained.
“Small problem, we likely won't stay as seven people forever. All gangs either grow or shrink.” Zeeland pointed out.
“True. In that case, we create a council, and have that be the leadership.”
“Fine, let's get out of here and go find Dante and Berrian. I need to congratulate them on the robbery.” Vickery said, standing up.
“We never talk for long, do we?” Piedmont asked.
“I mean, you barely said anything.” Vickery pointed out.
Soon, the seven outlaws began their search for Dante. Which barely took any time as Dante had ended up back at Somerset. He was alone, Berrian had split from him once they got far enough away from Trenton.
He was sitting in a park, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice the six men walking up to him.
“Where's Berrian?” Zeeland asked.
Dante blinked, then spoke. “She's somewhere near Herrington. What's going down?”
“You said you wanted all of us to come together. There's a place up at South Zachary, right?”
Dante nodded. “Yeah, it's called Fallen Angels.”
“I see.” Calistoga responded. “Well, we're all ready to go.”
“What changed?” Dante asked.
“Well the O'Hallorans are pissed at me, and you just robbed a bank. Seems like the perfect time to us to head there.”
“You killed three people, I heard what happened.”
“You're surprised by bloodlust?”
“No, not really. I just want to know, who the hell is Goldsmith and Firefox?”
Zeeland raised an eyebrow. “When did you care about O'Hallorans?”
“An hour ago, when two of them started asking me questions.”
“Well shit, where the fuck are they?”
“Near The Ranger Outpost, currently looking for anyone who knows a man named Calistoga Owensboro.”
Calistoga shook his head. “We need to leave then.”
Dante shook his head. “We shouldn't leave loose ends. Especially because they already know who we are.”
“When did you become violent?” Vickery asked.
“Oh, I was never peaceful. I just know when bullets are needed.”
“And yet you didn't fire a single shot at Trenton.”
“Didn't need to, they listened to me.”
Calistoga sighed. “It doesn't matter, it's best if we leave.”
“Too late.” Piedmont reported. “I see two men heading our way.”
The bank at Trenton was robbed barely a after three men were killed at Somerset. The robbers, only known by the names Mr and Mrs Peterborough, had gotten away with six hundred dollars.
The robbery had gone surprisingly smoothly, as Mr. Peterborough had requested a personal tour of the bank. This was granted mainly due to the fifty dollars that were generously donated to the pocket of the bank manager.
Once the Peterboroughs entered the vault, they immediately held the bank manager hostage and stole six hundred dollars. They then exited the vault and used the bank manager as a human shield while they exited the building. Once they got onto their horses, the bank manager was freed. This incident was remarkably similar to a bank robbery that had happened at Coalesce, except for the fact that there was only one robber at Coalesce.
Meanwhile, two demons had arrived at New Brunswick, apparently having just left Trenton.
The two demons were Vickery and Piedmont, of course, and they had both watched the bank robbery unfold. They would have joined in, except for the fact that Dante had only prepared a bribe large enough for two people to take advantage of.
Regardless, Vickery and Piedmont were both at New Brunswick now, and the two of them had just spotted Zeeland and Finjo.
The four outlaws met just outside of the sheriff's office, and quickly walked their way to a table located at a small park.
Once they all sat down, Zeeland placed his hands on the table and looked at Vickery.
“So, I hear you were in Trenton.”
“Word travels that fast, ehh? Well I wasn't a part of the bank robbery, but I got to watch it go down.” Vickery explained.
“So is Dante actually capable?” Zeeland asked.
“I'd say so. He used Peterborough as a name which might trace back to Calistoga, but that's solvable enough. Sides, he was far less violent than I anticipated.”
“Less violent? Most bank robberies aren't meant to end with death.”
“Guess I've had bad luck then cause I had to shoot out of some.”
“Well, remind me to never go bank robbing with you. Besides that, is his gang idea actually viable?”
“That's the question, now personally, the only person I'd be worried about is Calistoga.”
“Calistoga is most questionable, I'd agree, but he's not exactly a stranger.”
“It's not loyalty I'm worried about, it's the fact that he might be…losing it.”
“Losing it?”
“He rode into Trenton asking where Dante was. He sounded…regretful. You heard what happened at Somerset?”
“Well yes…we will need to deal with the O'Hallorans at some point. But, Calistoga has killed before, and he's killed people that were much more innocent.”
“Yes, he has killed innocent people before. That alone makes me uncomfortable, especially because he isn't exactly apologizing for it.”
“Damn it, Vickery, don't bullshit me on morals.” A voice suddenly suggested.
Calistoga had appeared, looking displeased at the group. “Look, I ain't no saint, but you're one to talk on killing innocent people.”
Vickery shook his head. “That was during war, I was a different man then.”
“Bullshit, you never left the war, you only changed the battlefield.” Calistoga sat down, right across from Vickery.
Zeeland, who was sitting right next to him, shook his head. “Let's not argue about philosophy please, especially considering the fact that the debaters would both be in the wrong.”
Calistoga smirked. “Alright, let's discuss Dante instead.”
“What is there to say?” Finjo asked.
“Well considering what he's up against, and such Bradlerek is now dead, I say we stick together.”
“I heard about that, how long before Stroudsburg goes after you?” Piedmont asked.
Calistoga shrugged. “A few days at least. Risch is dead too so it buys us valuable time.”
Piedmont nodded. “So, who would lead this so-called gang?”
“Oh no, that's a bad idea.” Finjo interrupted. “Let's be honest, half of us would try to seize power.”
“He's right, that's why I'm thinking that we do things via popular vote. There would only be six or seven of us, and since all of us are rarely bullheaded, it could work out.” Calistoga explained.
“Small problem, we likely won't stay as seven people forever. All gangs either grow or shrink.” Zeeland pointed out.
“True. In that case, we create a council, and have that be the leadership.”
“Fine, let's get out of here and go find Dante and Berrian. I need to congratulate them on the robbery.” Vickery said, standing up.
“We never talk for long, do we?” Piedmont asked.
“I mean, you barely said anything.” Vickery pointed out.
Soon, the seven outlaws began their search for Dante. Which barely took any time as Dante had ended up back at Somerset. He was alone, Berrian had split from him once they got far enough away from Trenton.
He was sitting in a park, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice the six men walking up to him.
“Where's Berrian?” Zeeland asked.
Dante blinked, then spoke. “She's somewhere near Herrington. What's going down?”
“You said you wanted all of us to come together. There's a place up at South Zachary, right?”
Dante nodded. “Yeah, it's called Fallen Angels.”
“I see.” Calistoga responded. “Well, we're all ready to go.”
“What changed?” Dante asked.
“Well the O'Hallorans are pissed at me, and you just robbed a bank. Seems like the perfect time to us to head there.”
“You killed three people, I heard what happened.”
“You're surprised by bloodlust?”
“No, not really. I just want to know, who the hell is Goldsmith and Firefox?”
Zeeland raised an eyebrow. “When did you care about O'Hallorans?”
“An hour ago, when two of them started asking me questions.”
“Well shit, where the fuck are they?”
“Near The Ranger Outpost, currently looking for anyone who knows a man named Calistoga Owensboro.”
Calistoga shook his head. “We need to leave then.”
Dante shook his head. “We shouldn't leave loose ends. Especially because they already know who we are.”
“When did you become violent?” Vickery asked.
“Oh, I was never peaceful. I just know when bullets are needed.”
“And yet you didn't fire a single shot at Trenton.”
“Didn't need to, they listened to me.”
Calistoga sighed. “It doesn't matter, it's best if we leave.”
“Too late.” Piedmont reported. “I see two men heading our way.”