[ WP ] The traditional story of a band of heroes working together against a common enemy . Only that this band of heroes all come from wildly varying genres .

The name of the tavern is The Last Outpost, and I guess that ’ s quite fitting. All these poor sods, stopping to enjoy the taste of hooch one more time before heading off to get dry-gulched by the wilderness. One table is particularly loud. It belongs to a group of short eggs with excessive facial hair who play backgammon and dip the bill in stiff hookers of whiskey. Behind them is the red-mushed man tending the gin-mill and polishing glasses. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; I take a long drag on my cigarette – I ’ m almost out and my brand is hard to come by in this dive. I give the room another quick glance – old shamus habits, I suppose. Monsieur Bonacieux, good old William, is leaning over the table of some blonde looker – he always was hitting on all eight with the bims – he wields his tongue as well as he wields his steel. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; Suzie is by the piano, accompanying some girlie-looking gents with long hair and point ears, apparently glomming them of their sugar in a game of poker. She ’ s a true Redhot, that one, but she has saved my life more than once, and that ’ s the only loyalty one needs. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; My eyes drift to the crackling fireplace where an old man is hitting the pipe, and then back to the bar again. I hear the familiar click of a revolver hammer behind me. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Looking for me, Partner? ” Blackwell says, with a chuckle. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; The heels of his boots clunk against the wooden floor as he comes into view, spinning his roscoe on his trigger finger before putting it back in the holster. He sits down opposite of me and tips his hat with a crooked grin, still casually chewing on a toothpick. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ You ’ re lucky pal, I was about to squirt you full of metal, ” I say with a wink. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ So, you ’ re not going to shin out now, are you? The wild is a mighty fine place, with untold riches. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ I need the cabbage to nurse my nicotine addiction. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Suzie! ” Blackwell calls out, holding up his empty glass and pointing at mine “ Your round, sweetheart, you can ’ t beat the devil around the stump this time. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; She promptly gives him the finger, flips her raven hair, and turns back to her poker game. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ There ’ s fire in that little lady, ” Blackwell chuckles. “ If I settle down one day, it ’ ll be with someone just like her. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; William returns to our table with the blonde dolly on his arm. He lifts his cavalier hat and smiles under the mustache, before sitting down with the lady on his lap. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Sir Blackwell, Sir Spade, meet Rosalinda, ” the musketeer says. “ She lives just down by the farm. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ You ’ re not taking her with you, ” Blackwell says. “ The wild ain ’ t no place for womenfolk. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Is that so? ” Suzie says, her eyes narrowing, as she plops down a fresh bottle of liquor on the table. “ If I ’ m not mistaken you still owe me for the time I saved your sorry ass from getting skinned by those trolls. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Well, I ’ ll be paying you back in no time, sweetheart, ” Blackwell says. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Don ’ t count on it, *darling*, ” Suzie shoots back. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ If you don ’ t mind, I shall retire for the night, I have some important business to attend to, ” William says with a cheeky grin, nodding at the peasant girl. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Just be up before dawn, kid, ” Blackwell says. “ We ride at the break of light. ” 
 ***** 
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