1

Long ago, two alien brothers who made their living as bounty hunters rode hoverbikes across a stretch of open dust toward a small town that still had a sheriff's office and a wall full of paper.

Drex rode on the left. Green-skinned, thick through the shoulders, purple coat flapping behind him. A faded cowboy bandana hung loose around his neck, ready to pull up when the wind or the work demanded it.

He took any job that paid. Cole rode

beside him-blue-skinned, leaner, red coat still stiff at the elbows. Newer to the life. He kept his shoulders square even when the road got long.

They parked outside the sheriff's office, boots hitting packed dirt, and walked straight in. The bounty board took up most of one wall. Dozens of faces stared back, some faded, some fresh.

One poster caught both of them at the same time.

Grim Maddox.

Drex reached first.

"Hands off, Cole. That one's too hard for you."

Cole jerked his hand back. "And why's that?"

Drex shoved the poster under his brother's nose. "Look at him. That's not a man you want to mess with."

A voice came from the desk near the window.

"Darn right. Grim Maddox is one of the hardest heads in the sector. Nobody's gone after him in years. You two are the first to even look twice. Sure you don't want something easier?"

Sheriff Dan sat with his forearms on the wood, scarred hands folded. The brothers turned.

"There once were a group of bounty hunters who once tried to hunt him down but never made it out alive."

"You tell that story to every hunter who walks in?" Drex asked. A grin stayed on his face, but the air in the room had gone tight.

"Yup. Some of them went missing. The rest got smart and left." Dan's eyes darkened. "Reward's one million caps. Dead or alive, but alive pays cleaner."

Cole's breath caught. "One million?"

"That's what I said."

Dan gave them time. The clock on the wall ticked. Outside, a hoverbike engine coughed somewhere down the street.

Cole leaned close to his brother. "This could set us up for years."

Drex chewed the inside of his cheek, then nodded once.

They walked back to the desk. Drex laid the poster flat under his heavy palm.

"Any idea where we start looking? Last known location. A Camp. Anything."

Dan rubbed a thumb over his jaw. "Wish I could help more. His gang moves. Every time we think we've found them, they're already gone. Best lead I've got is a town called Appleberry. Saloon there. He was seen asking about a train."

Drex rolled the poster tight and slid it into his coat. "That'll do."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Drex crossed his arms. "If this man's been wanted for years, how come you never finished it yourself?"

Color drained from Dan's face. He sank back in the chair.

"I tried. Years ago. Me and my partner thought we once had a lead on his hideout. Maddox knew we were coming.

His men hit us before we got close. I barely walked out. My partner didn't. Maddox killed him in front of me as a warning." Dan's hands curled into fists on the desk.

"I've stayed away from him ever since. Not because I'm scared of the man. Because I know what happens when you go after him without enough guns and a better plan than the one we had."

The room went quiet except for the clock.

Drex flicked a glance at Cole, then back. "So you've been waiting for somebody else to do the job?"

Cole's elbow caught him in the ribs. "Drex."

Dan let out a dry chuckle. "Don't worry, kid. I've heard worse. You two look like you might make a decent team. One built like a tank. The other looks like he's got something to prove."

Cole arched a brow. "That supposed to be a compliment?"

"Take it however you want." Dan leaned forward. "If you find his camp, keep me updated. I might be able to help once I've gathered enough men. Can't promise anything right now. But if there's a chance to put that outlaw down for good, I'm willing."

Drex tapped the pocket where the poster sat. "Sounds like a deal, Sheriff. You just make sure those men are ready."

They shook hands. Dan's grip was firm but tired. "Try not to get yourselves killed before I get the chance."

Drex threw his head back and laughed. "Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."

Cole muttered under his breath as they walked out, "This is gonna be fun." He didn't sound convinced.

They climbed onto their hoverbikes and headed for Appleberry.

The town looked half-forgotten. Wooden buildings lined a wide dusty street. Paint peeled from the signs. A few people sat on porches and watched the strangers roll in.

The air smelled of dry earth and old wood. Hoverbikes were rare here. Some still rode horses. Others used vehicles that looked like they'd been patched together from three different centuries.

They parked outside the saloon. Drex shut off his engine and looked down the street.

"Where do we start?" Cole asked.

"Ask around first. Somebody knows something. Bar can wait."

They walked the main street, showing the poster. Reactions were the same. Head shakes. Doors closing. One shopkeeper nearly slammed the door in their faces.

Drex folded the poster away. Jaw tight. "These people act like we're the ones with the price on our heads."

"They're scared of him," Cole said quietly.

"Yeah. I figured that much." Drex hooked a thumb toward the saloon. "Come on."

Inside, the room was low conversation, clinking glasses, a piano playing slow in the corner. Dust floated in the light from the windows.

Drex walked straight to the counter. Cole stayed a step behind.

The bartender glanced up while wiping a glass. "What'll it be?"

Drex laid the poster flat. "Seen this man?"

The bartender's face locked the moment he recognized it. "Can't say I have."

Drex's hand shot across the counter, grabbed the man's shirt, and pulled him flush against the wood. Chairs scraped. The piano stopped. A few hands hovered near hips.

"I know a liar when I see one," Drex said, voice low. "I'm asking one more time. Have you seen Grim Maddox?"

Cole stepped closer. "Easy. We're just after answers."

The bartender kept his hands up. "You should listen to your partner. Maddox is bad news. People who cross him don't stick around. He's got eyes all over this place. If word gets out you're hunting him, he'll come looking for you."

Drex's smile was thin. "Then we'll find him first. Talk. You seen him or not?"

The bartender swallowed. "All right. He was here earlier. Asking about a train."

"Why a train?" Cole asked.

"To rob it. Money."

The brothers exchanged a look. Drex slid the poster back into his coat. "That makes things more interesting."

"Or a whole lot harder," Cole muttered.

"Any idea where it's headed?"

"That's all I know. I swear. Please don't-"

"We're done." Drex turned for the door. "Come on, Cole. We've got a train to catch."

Neither of them noticed the stranger at the far end of the bar who had listened to every word. The man slipped out into an alley, switched on a small communicator, and spoke low.

"Boss. We have a problem."

A rough voice answered. "What is it?"

"Two bounty hunters just came into town asking about you. Big green one and a blue-skinned kid. They're asking about the train."

Silence. Then: "Two of them?"

"Yeah. They made a scene with the bartender."

"Did they see you?"

"Don't think so."

A low chuckle. "Been a long time since anyone had the nerve. Change of plans. We're still taking that train. But first I want those two brought to me. If they don't come quietly... make sure they never get the chance to stop me."

The line went dead.

Outside, Drex and Cole climbed onto their bikes and rode out of town. Across the street, the stranger watched them disappear, then mounted his own vehicle and followed at a distance.

They thought they were hunting Grim Maddox.

They had no idea he was already hunting them.