Black Market Merchant

Lisa and John left the house after telling Mary they would be out late. As they closed the door behind them, John started asking Lisa more about herself. As a former police detective, he could tell that there was much more to Lisa than just a pretty face.

"So, I haven't seen you in town before. Word of a woman carrying a coffin on her back is sure to spread." He said turning towards the house next door.

"Yes, I just arrived here early this morning. Walked all the way from Salt Lake. Where are we going?" Lisa questioned.

"Salt Lake…" John mumbled a bit surprised, but ignored his thoughts and continued, "Most of the people living in this cul-de-sac are former cops or EMT personnel. We're going to get my old patrol partners to come with us too."

John knocked on the door with a quick rap. After a moment an older man, looking to be in his fifty's, answer the door. He looked surprised seeing the woman behind John carrying her coffin.

"John, what going on? Who's this?" He asked nodding in her direction.

"This is Lisa, she just brought back Hanna a little while ago. It seems that the Marshals are dead." John said lowering his voice.

"Dead! How? Their bodies weren't in the burned house, so what happened?" He replied covering a pepper-colored mustache with his hand.

"I can explain on the way. We are going to where Hanna told Lisa that they might be. Can you get your gun and come with us?" John asked.

"Of course." The older man nodded vigorously in reply and his combed over brown hair fell in his face some. "We need to find out what happened. First the fire and now the Marshals are dead! This is a major problem. This area of town has always been so peaceful. I'll be back." He then turned and went into his house, but quickly returned, pistol in hand.

"Alright, let's go. Oh, and pardon my manners, my name is Benjamin, but just call me Benny." Benny said reaching out the shake Lisa's hand.

"Nice to meet you sir." Lisa said shaking his hand firmly.

"Quite a grip you got there, young lady." Benny remarked. Lisa only smiled in reply.

"Let's go get Richard next, then we'll head to the place." John said to the two and they nodded in agreement.

Richard was also an older man, but his age was between John and Benny. He was also a great deal taller than the both of them, just over two meters tall. When John knocked on the door to Richards house, he was already coming out to greet them. He even had his gun in its holster on his hip, ready to go.

"What's up?" Richard asked.

Benny replied first. "Miss Lisa here, just brought Hanna Marshal back from somewhere. It also turns out the Marshals might have been killed. We're going to check it out."

"I'll come for sure!" Richard said closing the door behind him. But before it closed a lady's voice cried out. "Not without me!"

Reopening the door Richards wife came out to join the group. She had a worried look on her face, though it didn't harm her looks. She looked young, despite being only a year younger than Richard. Brushing back her long brown ponytail she said, "You guys are going to get hurt out there, so I'm coming." The group looked down in her hands was a large EMT medical kit.

"Well no argument there, Joan. We just might need you." John said with a faint smile. "Well this should be enough for where we are headed. Alright, I'll explain everything as we walk."

After an hour or so of walking the sun had finally risen to its peak. The small group decided to stop for a quick rest in the shade of a large oak that grew in the center of town. They were silent after hearing what happened. Then Benny spoke up.

"Why would they kidnap the Marshal family, burn the house, then kill them all, just for some blueprint? They are gangsters, what do they care for such things?" Benny said shaking his head.

"I'm not sure either." John replied. "That's why we're going to the north police station."

Lisa had an idea, "What if they are trying to get the power back on? If they did, it could make the gang more powerful. Is the Mad Dogs gang the only one in town?"

"Hmm." John though for a moment. "There are three main gangs in town, but the Mad Dogs are already the most influential. As for your theorem, who can say." The other members of the group shrugged, unsure themselves.

"Let's just go and find out." Richard said while walking up ahead. The rest quickly followed his lead.

They followed a winding road going north along the Colorado River, which also headed in the direction of the station. The sun sparkled off the river's muddy brown waters and a breeze was starting to pick up, giving a bit of a chill in the air. Lisa noticed that there were several large sail boats and barges traveling on the river. Some were docked on the old rusting piers and she could see several people unloading cargo and supplies from them. By a large barge a hand cranking crane was lifting large metal containers off of it. Even without a power source the crane was a huge help in the process.

"So that's how this town is staying alive." Lisa thought while making a mental note.

This town was far away from any major city's that had power sources. They also didn't appear to be in contact with the American Fascist State or revolutionary fighters. As far as she could tell The Damn was in a neutral zone. Lisa decided to keep this in mind. She might be able to buy something to restart her trading business ideas. The issue was exactly what to buy and sell?

They soon arrived at the fenced in parking lot of the police station. The tall metal chain linked fence that surrounded the stations perimeter had lots of trash that had been piled up against it from over the years. This provided the group some cover so they could investigate the station from a distance, just in case the gangsters were still around.

"Now remember," John said in a hushed voice, "Hanna mentioned three people's description that we need to keep an eye out for. The guy with a yellow shirt, a big guy with a black shirt and another with orange sunglasses. I know these aren't very good clues, but it's better than nothing. If you see anyone or those three, we need to capture and interrogate them."

The former cops and EMT nodded.

Then as if planned, Richard and Joan split from the group and walked calmly past the station parking lot entrance to get to the other side. Meanwhile, Benny stayed with Lisa and John. They braced themselves just in case something happened or someone was spotted by the couple. Yet nothing happened.

"Seems like you're the boss here." Lisa whispered.

"He's only a rank higher than us." Benny snorted, "He just likes telling us what to do."

"Ah, quit complaining." John said looking at the station through a gap in the fences trash heap. The station seemed to be empty. There were no one outside, nor was there any signs of people walking by the windows inside.

The two had by now finished crossing the entrance and appeared to have seen nothing worth mentioning. John waved to Richard and he nodded back and all three of the former officers pulled out their guns. They approached the building carefully, but nothing continued to happen.

Once they got to the main entrance, they found that it was unlocked. After entering they found that it was relatively disorganized, but nothing out of the ordinary. They split up and investigated the area. No one was here.

Then from the back of the building Benny called out loudly, "Come quick! I found the Marshals."

The rest of the group gathered outside of the data center doorway where Benny was standing looking in. There on the floor in drying blood were the two victims.

…

Across town, in an abandoned lot, a crowd of around eighty people had gathered. They were all noisily talking amongst themselves when a young blond man climbed up on an old truck bed and called out to them.

"Thank you everyone for showing up. We need to discuss what we are going to do about the gang problem our little town has." The young man voice was easily heard by all and they quoted some to hear him.

The crowd murmured only a bit, but no one interrupted, and the young man continued. "My name is Nathan Dees and I propose that we get rid of the Black Rats gang from our neighborhood. They have been extorting us, attacking everyone needlessly and treating us like garbage! They aren't from around here, they just showed up and acted like they own the place. Well, they are wrong! This is our home, and we need to show them that they are not welcome anymore!" He paused for a moment and the crowd started talking excitedly. Several people even called out their agreement. The Black Rats had been a sore in the community for too long.

"Let's go right now and get rid of these losers!" Someone yelled.

Then another person called out, "They stole everything in my shop last week, they can't get away with this."

The crowd was now getting stirred up into a mob now. Most of the people were calling out similar strife and insults towards the Black Rats.

"Well then, if you want to rid ourselves from their oppression, I know where their leaders are right now! In the Marriott Hotel by the river!" Nathan said waving with his hand for the crowd to follow. "Let's go!"

The crowd cheered excitedly and started to follow Nathan towards the river hotel. As they were yelling and walking rapidly down the street, more people had hearing them. People came came out from homes and businesses to see what all the commotion was about. Some, hearing what the cause was about, joined in with the mob and soon their numbers swelled rapidly.

The riot had started!