Chapter 6. The Desert Vanguard
”Time spent talkin’ is time lost for doin’.”
– Adelais’s Scratch Pad
Adelais carried Perrito, the ragged town dog, into the bar and set the stray on the floor. Taking a seat on top of the table, he stared at the dying dog while Lorena, sitting on the opposite table, bandaged up her ankle. The look in the dog’s eyes was all too familiar. The last sparks of life before the flame was extinguished.
“Ade, we gotta get ‘im to the doc kinda now,” Lorena said.
“Dunno why. He ain’t gonna make it.” Adelais shrugged.
“Don’t matter if you believe he can live. We gotta try.”
“No truck. The smartass city boy took off with it and ain’t been back.”
Finishing his sentence, Adelais heard the sound of the engine shutting off in front of the bar. He watched as Kody walked in, stopping in the doorway to figure out what was going on. Adelais waved his hand, shooing Kody away as Siggy came out of the kitchen to look the dog over.
“So…” Kody started.
“Glad you’re back. We can go now.” Lorena was already trying to get back on her feet.
“It’s just a fuckin’ dog, Lore.” Adelais responded.
“Gotta get my ankle checked out, Ade,” Lorena said with spiteful emphasis, “so cut the shit and let’s go.”
Adelais jumped off the table, towering over Lorena, who was still leaning on hers. Glaring down at her, she ignored him and hobbled passed him on her way out the door. Reaching the doorframe, she turned around and returned the glare, shifting her eye line to the dog for a moment before hobbling outside. Siggy began carefully lifting the dog’s head, waiting for Adelais to pick up the other half. Pushing his younger brother out of the way, Adelais exhaled as he wrapped his arm around the dog, ignoring its cry. He hoisted it off the ground and carried it outside.
He dropped the dog in the bed of the truck, sitting next to it as the rest of the crew piled into the cab. Adelais dropped his head back against the cab’s glass window, watching the skyline recede as nightfall settled in. The cool desert air brought refreshment to the conclusion of a long, hard day.
“You’re one unlucky sonuvabitch, dog.”
Adelais patted the dog’s head. The dog offered no response except to occasionally cry out in pain when the truck bed bounced on the gravelly road. Adelais rested his arm on the dog, keeping its body secure against the warm metal frame.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at an unusually well-lit establishment. The main building stood alone along the road, but was sizable enough not to appear out of place on its own. Kody hopped out of the truck first and ran up to the door, pounding on it with little luck. Most folk in the area knew better than to go out or open their doors after dark.
Siggy helped Lorena out of the truck and served as a balancing post for her while Adelais picked the dog up and carried it to the door. A full minute passed after Kody’s first knock; Adelais’s patience wore thin. He assaulted the door with his free hand.
“Don’t break the damn thing! Hold on.”
A moment later, the door slowly creaked open to reveal a homely older gentleman, though he possessed no matching demeanor. “What do you want? I have nothing left to steal. Estaban’s already cleaned me out.”
“We ain’t banditos, Doc. Girl over there got her ankle crushed.”
Adelais gestured to Lorena, who offered the doc a weak smile as she lifted her leg to show him her ankle. The doc appeared to focus less on the girl and more on the urban cowboy standing next to her.
“And the dog?” the doctor inquired.
“Got kicked a few times. It’s probably dyin’.”
“And I’m supposed to what? Fix it? I’m not a vet. Last thing I need is to get involved with banditos.” The doc continued to eye Kody suspiciously.
“Last thing ya’ need is ta’ piss me off.” Adelais stepped up into the doc’s face, nearly hitting him with the dog’s head. “Fix the girl, Doc. Don’t care what ya’ do ‘bout the dog.”
The doctor, clearly defeated, shrugged and stepped aside, allowing them to enter. The building had a somewhat spacious waiting room beyond the door, with a few beds dressed as exam tables. It appeared to be an improvised clinic.
“The girl can sit on the bed. Set the dog down over there.” The doctor nodded to the open floor space near a window. “Don’t want it stinking up the place if it dies before I have a chance to get to it.”
Adelais dropped the dog near the window and took a seat on one of the empty exam beds, rubbing his palm along the smooth side of the cheap sheets. The soft fabric soothed his torn-up hand. Siggy took a seat next to him, keeping a respectful distance, while Kody stood near the door. They watched as the doc removed the bandage and examined Lorena’s swollen ankle.
“Hm. Can’t do much. Only have the basics, and not much of those. Like I said before, Estaban’s coterie took most of my supplies a while ago.”
“Estaban?” Kody asked.
“Yeah, your boss.”
“Bos—hey, wait! I’m not a bandito!”
“Mhm. Where’d you get that jacket?”
Adelais looked Kody over, examining the leather duster in detail. It wasn’t the first time Adelais had seen it, but like with most things, the jacket hadn’t warranted a second look. Until now.
“A friend. Well, not a friend. A friend of a friend. A brother of an ex-girlfriend. It’s complicated.” Kody confused himself.
“Your ex’s brother is a bandito. Not that complicated. If you want me to do anything for the girl—”
“Hi, s’cuse me? The girl has a name, ‘kay? It’s Lorena. Quit talking ‘bout me like I’m not here,” Lorena interjected.
“Lorena. I can’t do much for you unless your bandito friend there gets me some supplies.”
“I just told you I’m not—” Kody tried to defend himself as Adelais stood up.
The room quieted down, Adelais’s large frame occupying a good portion of it. “Don’t got any supplies. What else can ya do, Doc?”
“Nothing worthwhile. No supplies, no medicine, no fixing. If you’re that desperate, you could try asking one of Estaban’s lackeys, but unless you’re looking to die, I don’t see the point. It’s an ankle. It’ll heal. Not great, but it’ll heal.”
Adelais walked up to the doc and knelt in his face, grabbing him by the cheeks and pulling him close to Lorena’s ankle.
“Yer gonna fix this. Tonight. She ain’t gonna have no messed-up hobble the rest a’ her life.”
The doc wriggled his face free, backing up several paces from Adelais. His flushed skin did little to hide the small man’s indignation, but the doc wasn’t foolish enough to start a fight with a man as stout as Adelais.
“Ade, if banditos took the supplies, then ya’ know who prolly has them.” Siggy shifted his eyes toward Lorena’s ankle.
“Alejandro.” Adelais’s muscles grew taut as he mentioned the bandito’s name, the memory of Lorena being choked out still fresh in his mind.
“Alejandro? Romero? Isn’t he the one we just—” Kody started.
“Brother got him out this afternoon, just before he did that.” Siggy nodded toward Lorena. “Prolly bribed or threatened the badge holdin’ him.” Siggy rubbed his head.
“Don’t matter. I’m gettin’ the stuff back.” Adelais interrupted.
Adelais cast an eye to the dog lying in the corner, still breathing, as he stormed off toward the door. He stopped in front of Kody, who was still standing before the entrance.
“Adelais, you can’t do this. Not at night. Banditos have been rolling way too deep lately as it is, and we can barely manage to avoid them during the day.”
Adelais grabbed Kody by the shoulder and threw him aside, slamming him into the wall before opening the door.
“Ade, I got hurt—it happens! Don’t go gettin’ yerself killed over this!” Lorena shouted.
“Fine. I won’t go alone.” He turned to his brother, calli
ng him out, and wandered outside.
Adelais left the makeshift clinic, leaving the door open. He climbed into the front seat of the truck and felt around behind it until his fingers ran across a piece of warm, broken leather. He grabbed it, and pulled out a set of tangled leather vambraces. He looked them over, testing the strength of each piece as he strapped them to his wrists. Siggy barely had time to hop into the passenger seat of the truck before Adelais started the engine and took off in the direction of Alejandro’s shack.