Their second night in the park found them back at Violet’s bar. This time, they took a table in the corner to avoid drawing attention. They wore their sheriff badges proudly pinned to their lapels, earning them extra glances. Some locals congratulated them on their success; others stepped back respectfully. Even Jasper, never short on confidence, held his chin a little higher, as if he were above everyone else.
Violet was at her usual spot behind the counter, watching all the guests. They tried slipping past without her noticing and succeeded. Her girls, though, kept sneaking looks their way. Now with sheriff badges, they were a notch more appealing. It was realistic, and Daniel had noticed it the moment they walked in.
“Listen, brother,” Jasper leaned back in his chair, picking meat from his teeth with a toothpick, “we need to earn some coins somehow. I thought now that we’re deputies, Jake would toss us a little extra, but nothing…”
“Didn’t you hear him? The money comes from Reed. And that Reed didn’t seem to like us.”
“We’ll handle Reed another way. Specifically, I’m thinking of handling his daughter. Did you see how she smiled at me?”
“And how’s that gonna help us?”
“I don’t know, brother. She just seems so exotic. Plus, what those two lesbians at the fountain said—down there, they’re just like the real thing. I’m telling you, I haven’t had sex in at least a week.”
“You realize we’re talking about sex with robots, right?”
“I’ve made peace with it. And with no real women around… By the way,” Jasper leaned in, “that idiot’s wife from the train was checking you out. I’ve seen her a few times now.”
Daniel scanned the bar. It was noticeably quieter tonight, and the woman Jasper mentioned wasn’t there.
“I saw it too. Probably just a coincidence.”
“Brother, you’ve lost your edge since Emma. Ten years is a long time. You don’t know women anymore.”
“One look—”
“Look, when a woman’s eyes start darting around… something’s up.”
“For me?”
“Not good for her husband,” Jasper laughed, drawing Violet’s attention. She pushed off the bar and came over again. This time, she didn’t lean in provocatively with her plunging neckline. Instead, she pulled up a chair and sat.
“Are those badges I see?” Violet put her hands to her mouth, feigning surprise. “Don’t tell me…”
“Yep, your Jake made us his deputies.”
“My Jake? Boys, calm down. Jake hasn’t been mine for a long time, nor I his. How’d this happen?”
“Jasper killed Bill.”
Violet’s laugh echoed through the bar. Her mouth opened so wide that Daniel could’ve sworn he saw the gears deep in her throat that let her jaw move like that.
“Fat Bill? The jail guard?”
“The very same,” Jasper said, chewing and talking. “He got in my way, so I put him down.”
“Poor thing,” Violet reached out and patted Jasper. “That deserves one of my girls.”
Jasper dropped his fork onto his plate and stared at her.
“Y-Yes! I deserve it!” His voice trembled.
“Just because you deserve it doesn’t mean you’ll get it.”
Jasper went back to eating.
“By the way, Clara was asking about you.”
“My darling Clara…”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Yeah. She was a little sad you don’t have any money.”
“You sure know how to sell your little whores, don’t you, Violet?”
Violet grabbed her glass and splashed it in Jasper’s face. His expression turned red fast. Daniel dropped everything he was holding, ready to jump in and defend Violet. He knew his friend. But Jasper restrained himself and kept eating without another word.
“I like you, tubby, but you don’t talk about my ladies like that.”
“He apologizes,” Daniel tried to redirect her attention. “Where we’re from, they’re used to being called that, so Jasper didn’t think twice.”
“I want him to think twice here,” Violet slapped her palm on the table, staring at Jasper, who barely acknowledged her. “And one more thing—for the sheriff and his men, we’ve got a discount. Means you’ll need less money. But you’ll still need some.”
Violet stood and glided gracefully back to her favorite spot by the bartender. She threw them a final glance, then smiled at a man next to her who wasn’t wearing black gloves.
“Why’d you act like that with her, Jas?”
“I was testing her, brother. Plus, it’s been a while since I riled up a woman. I missed it. Tomorrow, she’ll want me more.”
“I doubt her mind’s that advanced.”
“Well, we’ll see. That’s what the test is for. They’re probably tracking every move these robots make and already have a long list of upgrades. If even the dog had a camera, imagine the bigger ones.”
The door behind Jasper swung open. A figure in a brown hooded cloak stepped into the bar. Daniel glanced outside. It wasn’t raining. The figure wore a dress, so it was likely a woman. She froze at the entrance, looking around. Her face was hidden in the shadow of the hood. Her hands were in black gloves—a robot, but with a hood. Bare, delicate arms emerged from under the cloak, touched the hood, and pulled it back.
“Look who just walked in.”
Jasper turned and nearly stood up.
“Is that Aria?”
The girl stood there. Violet gave her an odd look. Several men in black gloves started toward her. They must’ve been programmed that way—slowly approaching guests but heading straight for locals.
Daniel didn’t catch when Jasper got up and went to her.
He shoved a man out of his way with his shoulder. The man stood and advanced threateningly toward Jasper, who now held his badge up. That seemed to work—the man backed off. Daniel was ready to help, but Violet stepped in. She slapped two men across the face, and when she reached Jasper, she shouted loud enough for the whole bar to hear:
“You bastard, I like you, but you’re acting like a monkey!”
Aria held her hands up in front of her, saying something to Jasper too.
Daniel stood aside, feeling like he was in a movie now. A movie he was part of—or rather, in this scene, more like an extra. Then he remembered he was a deputy sheriff too. In two strides, he was beside Jasper, unpinned his badge from his lapel, and showed it to the others.
“We’re deputy sheriffs. Step back, please. We don’t want trouble.”
“That one started it,” one of the fallen men pointed at Jasper.
“Shut it,” Jasper drove his boot into the man’s face. Daniel wasn’t sure if he imagined it, but the man’s eyes seemed to flicker—probably short-circuited. Aria pulled her hood back up and slipped outside. Jasper followed. Daniel decided to let them be.
“What was that? What just happened?” Violet clutched her head. “A fight in my bar. Boys?”
“Sorry, Violet,” Daniel bent down to check on the fallen men but had no clue how to help. His first-aid courses didn’t cover robots. “Jasper gets a little intense sometimes. Especially when he takes things personally.”
“Who was that woman? She looked a lot like…”
Daniel knew but didn’t say her name.
“A friend of Jasper’s. He got mad when those guys talked to her.”
“I love jealous types. I know how to handle them. Shame he’s got nothing to pay me with.”
“Is everything about money?”
“No, darling. Just that part of my business. Otherwise, I can love you for free. Now, please, get these guys outside. Customers are coming. I don’t want fallen bodies around.”
It was a good idea. Though if the guy in the suit was done with his robotic life, red lights would probably flash any second. The other one—shorter, with a mustache—got up on his own. He was fine but seemed to remember nothing. He just dusted himself off and blended back into the scene.
Daniel bent down, grabbed the unconscious one, and dragged him outside. He hauled him nearly to the stables on the side. There, he heard Jasper’s voice.
He froze and listened. Their conversation was about Reed. He peeked and saw Jasper leaning against a beam. He was so big he blocked Aria from view. Even her voice was inaudible—only Jasper was talking.
Daniel wondered if he should interrupt but decided to leave them alone. Jasper would tell him later anyway.
Still, he was a little worried. If he could hear them, others might too. He backed away slowly and returned to the bar.
Inside, Violet was chatting with the bartender, Phil. The mustached guy was fine, but their table was already taken. Some of Violet’s girls waved at him. Jasper was right—this robot thing could just be a fun adventure Emma didn’t need to know about. And honestly, did it even count as cheating? Either way, he had no coins. No way to find out.
“Hey, Sheriff?”
The voice came from the bar, not Violet, but the woman next to her. Short blonde hair, light eyes. A nice blue dress showing her ankles and matching light shoes. She leaned on the bar, smiling at him.
And most importantly, no black gloves.