Chapter 2: Christmas Came Early

Altin was getting that feeling again.

He'd have to stop swiping the onions and carrots Spot dug up for herself eventually, and if he wanted to pay for food he'd have to start bringing in some cash. It wasn't safe for him to apply for a legitimate job, not with the police after him, so that left Appaloosa's criminal underbelly. He'd call his contact; she'd be able to get him in with the local mafia. 

Maybe he'd go see her in person. He could ride Spot over to her home--

Telephone it is.

Altin makes the call and occupies his time with a small "garden" on the side of the warehouse. Well, really just a few raggedy plants someone had allowed to grow wild. He neatened  them up as best he could, and just as he was finishing up in the last of the day's light, his contact arrived.

Sage Oxendine, or as they had called her back when she trained Altin in the thiefly ways, "the Ox," was older than he remembered. It reminded Altin he was aging too, and one day he'd have to deal with that. But not today. 

"Listen, Ox, I need a little favor..."

"I know what you're going to ask, Snickerson. You want me to find you a way into the crew, don't you? We all heard how the Diamond job went. It was good work, no doubt, but the Veronaville cops are watching for you. If the Boss trusts you, you could bring us all down."

"Yeah, but you know me, Oxy. I'll come up with a brilliant plan to throw the police off my trail--"

"Which will be ridiculous and unsuccessful, but you'll just luck out and and have a solution drop into your lap. Like the prison, I assume. You'll have to tell me how you managed that one day.

Okay, I'll help you, but it'll be entry level, real smalltime stuff. Just don't mess up. This isn't your little Verona gang work, this is the Organization. You step an inch out of line and you'll drag me down with you. Now, here's what we'll do..."

The next morning, Altin realized there was a reason the zoo had been keeping Spot in a pen by herself. He knew nothing about horses (or zebras); he hadn't expected the present she left him during the night.

I think he's a heavy sleeper, Spot...

When Altin woke up that morning, a surprise was waiting. The foal looked to be part horse, a paint of some sort, and big, like his mother. Altin named him Bolt. Not because he was fast. Because every time Altin tried to get a closer look, Spot would come after him and he'd have to bolt for the house.

The new baby got him thinking, though. If he was going to need to climb the ranks of the Organization to make any real money, he'd have to stick around Appaloosa for a long time. And now that he had not one evil demon pet to take care of, but two, he'd better start making this old dump into more of a home. But first, he had to get Spot to trust him. Bolt was already acting like a little menace, just like his momma, and the last thing Altin wanted was two animals trying to kill him. That'd be his plan, then. Get back in the I'm-just-gonna-borrow-this-I'll-bring-it-right-back-I-swear business, stop sleeping on the floor of the warehouse...

...and appeal to Spot's friendly, compassionate side. Or something. He was still fuzzy on that part. He was sure it'd work out, right? I mean, how hard could it be?

(Z: Gratuitous baby picture!)