#double sixes

ED-E buzzed, Ulysses again - spoke, ignoring the courier's disdain. “The Divide’s.. inhabitants are not very pleased with you and I being here.”

“So you said..” He rolled his eyes, pouring peroxide - applying it to his wounds and waiting for the searing pain to end. “So, whaddya want this time? Come to give me more warnings? or do you just want -”

He fell quiet, a radio chiming to life, old world tech - he's not sure how it started working - the voice on the other end speaking cooly - “Stars… of the midnight ranges, shining through the night.” Cashew felt cold, he felt his stomach flip - no, no - he could practically hear the beeping, the tightness on his neck from the collar, the burn in his lungs. “Stars of the midnight ranges, light my way tonight.”

He fumbled, frantically reaching for his police pistol - no, no - not like this. He held a breath, trapping it in his bruising ribs.

The radio sang another chord, before -

Bang.

The silence was deafening, his body felt like it was on fire, releasing the trapped breath shakily - setting his pistol down next to him with trembling hands. The beeping was absent, the weight on his throat slowly easing away - trying to catch his breath.

He put the cloth away, hurrying along with bandaging his ribs. Trying to settle his nerves the best he can, he needed to hurry along with this, especially under the presence of Ulysses. He has to be able to keep up with the Divide to survive in it.

“..You went to the Sierra Madre…”

Cashew felt his blood run cold, what the hell.

“You’ve.. been?” How the hell did he get out?! That doesn't make any sense if he'd been before.

“No.. wasn't where the road took me.”