[ TT ] `` Best bounty hunter in the universe ? Well , then you want them , '' said the man , pointing down the bar to where a little girl and her robot were playing chess .

I asked him `` Uh, got anyone else?'' 
 
 `` Well, you asked for the best right?'' The barkeep's voice was deep. Far deeper than mine and seemed to vibrate the glasses he cleaned as if he always speaks with a ball of mucus in his throat. `` That thing can and will kill, capture, or cull any man, beast, bot, or bystander. And it'll do it for free too!'' He leaned over resting his forearm on the bar `` All you got ta do is prove the job is interesting.'' 
 
 Free huh? `` Why would I believe a little girl and her droid are capable of that?'' 
 
 The keep let out a thunderous laugh and stuttered out `` L-little girl and her droid! That is rich!'' 
 
 A little agitated I asked `` Why is that so funny?'' 
 
 `` Go over there and find out.'' His round cheeks were red from laughter as he walked away from me. 
 
 Fine then. I'll go see why this girl and her robot are so amazing. Walking up to them I can see she is losing the game of chess they are playing. The robot took many of her pieces. Why would you even try to play against an A.I. Standing next to the table looking over the chess board I say `` Man, that bot sure is giving it to you huh?'' 
 
 The robot slowly creaked his gaze toward me. His eyes were low and his voice was riddled with sarcastic snark. `` You here to flirt with an 11 year old or do you have a job for me?'' 
 
 `` Wow. Quite the tongue on that one.'' I said kind of embarrassed. `` You program it yourself?'' 
 
 `` Yes I did.'' Said the robot. `` I programmed it to keep it's chatter to a minimum. The things it likes to say can sound a little... off.'' The girl let a tiny smirk land on her face while she made her next move. `` Now if you could please stop directing your conversation to my little project here and tell me who it is you want in a hole, that would be of great service to me.'' 
 
 I'm confused but I'm starting to see what the barkeep was saying. `` A few towns over, a group of bandits took over everything. They killed anyone who tried to step to them. They had everyone living in fear.'' 
 
 `` Presents of the past, path we walked last.'' This was the first thing the girl said and it was a whisper. I'm not even sure I heard her right. 
 
 `` What my thing here is trying to say is we noticed you're talking in past tense.'' The robot says with a knowing smile on his face. 
 
 `` Yeah. Someone hired a bounty hunter that took no bounty. He went into town and cleaned up shop. Then he just left. No one even saw him.'' 
 
 `` So if they're all dead where is my job?'' 
 
 `` I need that hunter for a harder job. You're him are n't you!?'' 
 
 `` The job?'' As the conversation continued the game of chess they played moved faster and faster. 
 
 `` Well, one of them survived! He is mad as hell and he's on a warpath to find those hunters. We need you to finish what you started.'' 
 
 `` How is this harder?'' 
 
 `` He is the fastest draw any one of us has seen. He was n't in town when you came in. He's also looking for you so you wo n't be able to ambush him like you did the others.'' 
 
 `` Breath out your neck!'' The girl whispered excitedly. 
 
 `` I guess it'll take the job.'' Said the droid. 
 
 `` Huh? The girl?'' Now I'm confused again. 
 
 `` Well of course. It's the one that killed all your friends not me. It'll be happy to send you to them as well.'' 
 
 `` Damn. What did I say that gave me away?'' I should have just shot these two when I walked up. 
 
 `` That.'' Said the robot. `` I was just testing the waters to see what you'd say. Something my pet here likes to do.'' I glance at the board and see that she had won. `` It likes to give up pieces to see how I react. It then uses that information to destroy me. I'm very disappointed you made this so easy, however.'' 
 
 `` Well I'm an idiot. I'd still rather be the idiot that lives than the dumbass that messes with me and dies. Should we take this outside?'' 
 
 `` Here is fine.'' The robot starts to draw his pistol. Fool is too slow. By the time his gun leaves it's holster mine is already almost trained on his head. He'd be a toaster had my shot not been thrown off by an 80 pound counter weight in the form of a little girl latching onto me. She was fast. Too fast for me. I feel her teeth sink into the flesh and muscle of my neck and rip it free. I drop my gun, knock her off me and fall to the floor. The pain. It's the kind you know you wo n't wake up from. The robot steps over me with that sarcastic face not even glancing down on me. He walks to the barkeep, hands him some cash and beckons the girl to him. The last thing I hear is `` Come now little thing. I do n't even know why we play with these creatures.''
