CHAPTER ONE

There’ll be more like him you know. We’re living in

changing times. The balance between us could crash

down at any moment.

I wouldn’t be so worried. If we both

keep the status-quo then the city will go

on the way it has for years.

By the way, whereabouts

did you send him?

A small settlers’ town in the wild. He should have his hands full there

with the local rabble. In some ways I pity the man, so naïve and full of

morals. Doesn’t he realise what the world is really like?

Pity him? No, I envy him. Where is

the pity in a bubble of bliss where

right and wrong are black and white?

Well, one thing’s

for sure Kelly.

He won’t be

bothering you for

a while now!

Where is every one? It’s like a ghost town

here. I wonder if this is the right place.

You’re obviously not from round here son!

It’s Saturday morning and everyone’s in

bed with a hangover!

I see. Tell me old man, do you have any

idea what kind of a town this is?

I’ve been assigned as the new warden

here and I was wondering what to expect.

Let me tell you

young man that this

ain’t a place for the

faint hearted!

If I were you I

would ask for a

different

commission!

And in the end it’s only a few men that hold it all

together. Just think what it would be like with if you and

I were grunts, and people like Blake were in power.

The city would plunge into war,

and the streets would be filled

with blood. This must never

happen. The wardens must never

clash with the mob!

What do you want

at this time in the

morning?

RING!

RING!

My name is James Blake.

I’ve been posted here as

the new sheriff of Alcova

until further notice.

Didn’t yet get a

message from

headquarters?

I hardly ever check that thing. Besides, the

connection comes and goes. The name’s Mitch, I’ve

been acting as sheriff but I guess now that your

here I’m back to plain old deputy again.

This is where you’ll be staying. There’s an

extra bed over by the side there that’s

yours. The place is a mess and infested with

cockroaches but it’s my home!

It’ll do. I heard that Alcova gets a lot

of shady characters in town. How do

you find dealing with the local scum?

I don’t! Listen pal, if I tried to take

out every man and his dog that broke

the law here I’d be a dead corpse in

the bottom of a ditch!

You may find that we do things a

bit differently out in the wild

that in the city. Here it’s not

about bringing crooks to justice

so much as keeping the peace.

Hey Bob, is my

father in the

apartment?

Yeah, he was looking

for you earlier. He

said he had something

to tell you. Listen Al,

it sounded important.

Well, it certainly

rare for my

father to want to

see me. He’s

usually running

the business or

meeting his lady

“friends”

The chief of police

was here this

afternoon. Your

father’s been

spending a lot of time

with him recently.

Come on in Alfonso, I’ve been

wanting to speak to you about

something.

BING!

Is it about what happened with

that warden? The men say it

won’t happen again.

No, it’s not about that. Captain

Richards assures me that the man

has been sent away into the wild and

the evidence destroyed.

Do you know, all my life I’ve be completely motivated

by money. The world was a hard place and I wanted

to make it big, to get to the top of the ladder.

Money, women, they’re both the same, distractions

from the bigger picture. Happy moments in a universe

of pure depression.

The world is hell my son. Whatever you do,

don’t think about it too much or you’ll

realise how hopeless it all is.

I’m giving you this data

seal. It will open when I

die, giving you the full

rights to all of my

fortune. You’ll lead the

mob when I’m gone.

Why are you telling

me all this. I

thought you said I

was too weak to lead

the mob.

You are! But I have to be

realistic. I’m seventy four and

getting older by the minute. I

can’t expect to live forever, in

fact, I don’t even want to.

Father? I can’t see

your face!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hey James! Wake up! You’re shouting your

head off like there’s no tomorrow!

I’m going down to the saloon.

Wanna come down and meet

the townsfolk you’re going

to valiantly protect?

Sure, why not.

So how can the low life

here afford to get drunk?

The taxes on alcohol are

getting higher and higher.

Like I said, we do things a little

differently here in the wild. All the

alcohol here is locally made. We don’t go

through the same taxes as in the city.

SMASH!

Holy Moses! What’s

going on in there!

SLAM!

Okay buddy, party’s

over, reach for the sky!

Who is this greenhorn? Do you have

any idea who you’re dealing with son?

Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn! I’m

placing you under arrest for assault!

Eh, James, I think you should let me handle this

one. Remember what I said about things being

different around here?

No way! I didn’t become a warden just

to let thugs like this guy get away with

doing whatever they want. I’m sheriff

now, we do things my way!

Listen grasshopper! This is not any old thug

your arresting, my name is Sean Blackmoor

and if you meddle with me you meddle with

the whole Blackmoor clan!

Okay guys, the security here is really

sloppy, you’d think the guy would hire

better bodyguards with his kind of money!

Look man, are you

sure about this?

I mean this is the

head of the mob

we’re talking about!

I don’t care if he’s Father Christmas! Once we do this

we can flee the city, out to where the mob have no

control! The money our client gave us is the real

thing, and there’s more where it came from.

Where’s the car?

It should be here by now.

Isn’t it a bit quiet around here, where

have all the people gone?

CLICK!

I hope you realise that you

just signed your own death?

I’d rather die

than see the law

broken freely by

the likes of you!

Well that’s all very

well for you to say

but some of us enjoy

our lives thank you

very much!

Do you really just

give in to anyone

who threatens you?

What kind of

warden are you?

Not a dead one! Do you

really think that I don’t

care about law and order!

Well, I do, but there are

some things that come

before the law, like the

safety of the people you

and I swore to protect!

Hey, guys, just so as you know, you’ve probably

got about three hours before my lads come

here and bust me out.

Shut up you!

You’re really

getting on my

nerves!

You’re fine Howard, please come in

and take a seat. Now that my father’s

dead I’m sure I’ll have a lot of

business meetings with you.

I’m afraid not Alfonso.

The leadership of the

mob has fallen to myself

and two other

businessmen. I’m sorry

to disappoint, but your

father thought you too

weak to run the mob and

left you with only a small

amount of funds.

Sorry to

interrupt you

Mister Kelly, but

we have some

important

business to

attend to.

A few days before he died my father gave me

this data seal. It includes all the right of my

father’s fortune naming me as his heir.

That’s very nice I’m sure, but the

mob is now in control of us. Hand

over that data seal and we can

make this transition easy for you.

Would you dare to disrespect the

wishes of my father, the head of

the mob! I am his son and I will lead

the mob whether you like it or not!

Do you really think that anyone cares about your father

anymore! He led the mob because he was feared, and a

dead man isn’t very intimidating now is he?

Now hand over that

seal or I swear I will

blow your head off!

POOF!

Call Alex, I want men outside

every national bank. I’m

issuing a death warrant on

Alfonso Kelly, do not let him

leave the city!!

BANG! BANG!

BANG! BANG!

Alfonso!

VROOM!

VROOM!

That does it mean

old man? What does

the sky tell you?

A great fire is coming. It will consume the west

and they will flee their own people. And we shall

rise up and take back the land that was ours.

The day of wrath and devastation is coming soon.

TO BE CONTINUED…