Page 64 of Gunslinger Girl

“It was a long trip,” the woman said. “Have them up to my suite in half an hour, with the rest of my gear.” She sniffed. “I heard a funny rumor on my way in that Casimir was closed.”

“Oh, never for you.”

“That’s what I said.”

Flossie snapped her fingers at the men as the newcomer went to the bar and sat down.

“Who’s that?” Pity whispered.

“That,” Garland replied, “is Siena Bond. A bounty hunter.”

“The best bounty hunter,” Duchess added, “and someone you wouldn’t want to cross.”

“Oh, please,” said Luster. “She’s a sweetheart. Too bad she didn’t arrive earlier—she would have had Daneko here in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

“Speak of the devil…” said Max.

A fresh disturbance overtook the Gallery’s entrance. Santino entered, leading a small army of Tin Men. In their midst was a handful of Old Reds. One, Pity saw, was the wild girl she had shot at the day Max had taken her to the market. All the mad bravado in her face was gone, replaced by a glaze of cold terror. They marched down the center of the room.

“Where’s Daneko?” Pity said as they passed.

“Gone.” Olivia brought up the rear of the parade, rifle in hand. She shrugged off the body armor she wore and gestured to Pity. “C’mon. You should be in on this, too.”

Pity pulled herself up using the crutch Luster had scrounged. The others began to rise, too, but she waved them away and hobbled after Olivia. She didn’t have time to wonder where they were headed; at the back of the Gallery by the elevator, the Tin Men herded the Old Reds into a tight circle and forced them onto their knees. Pity followed Olivia to one side of the assembly.

The elevator opened, drawing every eye in the room. Selene glided out with Beau at her side. The cut on her forehead, now tended, was the only sign of the morning’s events.

Santino went to her and said something, quietly.

Selene’s expression soured. “And where is he now?”

“Probably headed south as fast as he can,” rumbled Santino. “This is on me, ma’am. We thought he was cornered. A few minutes earlier…”

Selene waved him off and stepped forward, regarding the Old Reds displayed before her. After a tense handful of moments, she spoke, her voice carrying through the room.

“You were dead the moment you walked into Casimir.”

The Old Reds shifted and shuddered, their movements audible in the chill silence that gripped the Gallery.

“So there is no reason to pretend to know nothing about what occurred here earlier. You will tell me everything, and you will tell me now.”

None of the Old Reds spoke. Pity kept her eye on the girl, wondering if she was foolish enough to have been in on the plot, but not once did she look up. Her head hung to her chest, defeat and fear like twin weights dragging her down. Selene snapped her fingers at one of the prisoners. Two of the Tin Men yanked him to his feet and dragged him over to her.

“You were one of Daneko’s lieutenants,” she said.

It wasn’t a question, but the man nodded, his face pale.

“Surely you must have something to share.”

The man trembled. “I would tell you if I knew something. But I don’t. Daneko didn’t say one word about… about…”

Beau pulled out his gun and pressed it to the man’s forehead. “Truth. Now.”

“I swear!” he screeched. “I swear I don’t know anything!”

Stern-faced, Selene put her hand on Beau’s and guided it away. “I believe you.”

Another gesture and the Tin Men returned him to his pack.