Gun Smith Cats Version 1.0: 03/23/93 Volume 1 (Stories first appeared in Afternoon magazine) Artwork and story by Kenichi Sonoda Translated by Curtis Hoffmann and Kiyoshi Takenaka Inside (Photo: Recent photo of the author.) Jacket This is a letter from Chicago resident, B-chan. Lately, a strange man showed up in my dreams and told me to buy "compe of Wilson" (possibly, tickets to a Wilson competition) and to get Semmerling (villian from _Riding Bean_.) He also told me to treat him to crab. It annoys me. He's even appeared in this photo. What should I do? Mysterious Pyschic X responds: It's a very bad-natured spirit. All you can do is move out. Amen. Note: A couple of other groups have translated Chapers 1 and 2. As these translations can be found on an Internet FTP site, I won't duplicate them here. Chapter 1: Feeding Trouble Chapter 2: Revolver Freak Chapter 3: Bonnie and Clyde 70-2 Bon. Rally Vincent... So. -3 Bon. I have heard about her, a gunsmith... But it's a side job. She's a famous Chicago bounty hunter, despite being a woman. -4 Clyde A woman? You say her name's Rally? She shot off your thumb and both legs? -5 Bon. Her assistant blew up my car. Those two are terrible. 71-1 Clyde You should have done better... I'll exact revenge on them for you. -2 Bon. By the way, Clyde... You didn't come here today just to talk, did you? -3 Guard [Swing] Visiting hours are up! -4 Clyde [Stand] Ah. You're checking out today. -5 Clyde Say "farewell" to the police hospital. Guard ....!! Hey! -6 [Swish] 72-1 Rally [Spray] Hmm hm hm hmm. -2 Rally [Wipe] Mmm! You're NICE child! -3 Rally [Wipe] [Humming] -4 Rally [Whip] Tada. -5 May What makes you so happy, Rally, -6 May this early in the morning? Rally Aha, Minnie May. You look beautiful as usual. 73-1 May Taking a break from the shop today? Going driving? Rally Eh heh heh heh. -2 May You've often said "You shouldn't take a no-power car like this as a substitute." -3 Rally Yes, but I started feeling sympathetic, since this is the last day I'll drive it. -4 May Have they fixed the Cobra? Rally Bingo!! -5 Rally Ah -- it's been so long. Over a month... But in that time, this little 100 Hp Elan did a good job. May I like the Elan better. -6 Rally Then, why don't you buy it. I can negotiate with them to get it for $10,000. May Give me a RAISE, first. 74-1 Rally No - way. You have to manage to save some money, even on a small salary. When I tried to open the shop... Roy Sorry for the interruption... -2 Roy Got a minute? -3 Rally Aha -- Been a while! How are you doing, officer? -4 Rally Wait a sec, and I'll get coffee. Roy Ah, no, that's ok. -5 Roy Truth is... I hate to spoil your good mood, but, -6 Roy Bonnie has escaped. 75-1 Rally Eh..... -3 Roy [Ching] Her brother dropped in to visit, and helped her break out... One officer was slashed with a knife and is in serious condition. -4 Rally This happened in the police department? Roy A small non-metallic knife can be hidden anywhere. -5 Rally [Sip] I wonder how she could have escaped, having lost both legs just a month before... Don't you think the chances are someone in the department gave them a hand... -6 Roy There's... a lot of trash in the state and city police. Rally Sounds serious, coming from a cop. 76-1 Roy Yours is the more serious problem. Rally Huh? Wait. Here's your order. May All right! -2 Roy Bonnie thinks you're why she lost her thumb and legs. She hates you. -3 Rally Hey -- all bounty hunters have enemies. -4 Roy [Twist] But, Rally... -5 Rally It's ok! I'll be careful. May I smell a bomb. -6 Roy Anyway, I'll give you a copy of this doc. Clyde Dorman, age 32... A nasty guy with a connection to an organization in Mexico. -7 Roy [Huff] He's the one that'll act in the near future. Because of Bonnie's loss last month. -8 [Thud] 77-2 Roy Well, so. This one is on me... Rally I see. You're so generous. Thank you. May ..... -6 Wait. [Exit] Ah... sir... 78-1 May Bomb -- !! -4 May [Run] Everyone -- get out!! -5 May [Eh?] Officer, it'll blow any second. Get everyone out!! -6 [Flip] -7 Roy Police! Everyone leave!! There is a bomb here! 79-6 [BOO -- OOM] 80-1 (NOTE: Notice that May is packing at least 2 grenades.) 80-8 [Klatch] 81-1 May Rally, the guy 50 meters back!! That's him!! Rally Eh!! -2 May [Thud] Hurry, after him!! -3 [Shift] -4 Roy He... Hey! -5 Roy [Rush] Wah!! 82-1 [Roar] -2 Rally He's? -3 May Black coat and hat!! Turn left at the corner. -4 [Screech] -5 [Appear] 83-1 [Smash] -4 [Stomp] -5 [Roar] [Squeal] 84-1 Clyde [Roar] [Smash] Ha! You're serious about this, kitten-chans!! -2 [Roar] [Squeals] -3 [Whoom] -4 Kid Hey, let's go! Girl Mark -- pass! 85-1 [Thump] [Roars] [Squeals] -2 [Car engine roars] -3 [Smash] [Tinkle] -4 Rally [Squeal] Dammit!! -5 [Rush] 86-1 Rally [Klatch] "Pass her"!! May Right!! -5 [Tap] [Slide] 87-1 [Rush] -3 [Roar] [Squeal] -4 [Rush] -5 Girl ..... -6/7 [Engine roar] [Screech] 88-1 Rally ! -2 [Shift] -3 [Reverse peel-out] -4 [Screech] [Lift] -5 May Rally! Rally! Rally!! Rally Shut up! -6 Clyde Heh! 700 kilo versus 1-2 tons. Still want to play tough! 89-1 [Ka -- whoom] -4 [Wham -- ] 90-2 [Scuff] -4 Clyde Well. Why don't you shoot? 91-1 Clyde You're one of Chicago's best bounty hunters, aren't you? -2 [Bam blam] -3 [Clatter] -4 Rally Go ahead and run. -6 Rally I just want to wrap this fight up, it has no reward. Tell this to Bonnie, too. -7 Clyde You'll regret this. 92-2 Roy He got away... huh. This rarely happens to you. -3 Roy Impossible... You didn't let him go intentionally, did you? Rally Aha. Not a chance. -4 Rally How about the damage to the coffee shop? Roy Two customers need surgery, and 4 with minor injuries. -5 Roy That girl helped us out a lot. I wonder how she could have known. -6 Rally Ahah... ha, well, well -- so. May Rally, how about this? -7 Rally Huh? -8 Rally [Groan] Damn. I should have extorted the money from him before letting him go. May Looks like you're regretting it already. Chapter 4: Hot Feeding 94-1 Blond What do you mean by this, Bonnie... -2 Blond We've had trade many times before... We're offering this $500,000, as ours condolence for you're having lost your legs, and needing to escape the police hospital. And LOOK at this!! -3 Blond [Slap] This is totally different from your sample! The quality sucks!! And there's too little of it!! 95-1 Blond WHAT do you mean by this!! -4 Bon. Nothing... I just want the $500,000. -6 Blond Before getting into the car, you were fully body checked. Forget about trying to pull a fast one on us. 96-1 Bon. Heh. I left that "fast one" outside. -5 Guard A shoe... No, her foot... -6 [Click] -7 [Bam] 97-1 [Boom] -4 Blond You bitch!! 98-1 [Boo -- oom] -3 [Klatch] -4 Guard [Blam] Guo!! -5 Guard [Blam] Gu...! 99-1 Becky Wa... -2 Becky Wow... -3 Becky This will be information-broker Becky's greatest hit yet. I can sell this for a lot. 100-1 Bon. Hah... Interesting gun, is it not? A PM-9... characterized by it's folding magazine. -2 Bon. Without the stock, it easily fits in my false leg. A body check is insufficient. -3 Blond You can't deal in Chicago... in Illinois any more. How are you going to handle our 5000 family-members? -4 Bon. You're worried about me? Thank you, Mr. Roberts. -5 [BOO -- OOM] 101-1 [Chak] -2 Bon. [Click] Clyde! -3 Clyde It's all taken care of. Bon. And our goldfish shit? (Our tail) -4 Clyde She's over there, groaning over her wounds. Bon. Good job. -5 Becky Haa... Haa... -7 Clyde She didn't know we were letting her follow us. Bon. So now, we have both the getaway money, and the bait. -8 Bon. Ha... Wait for me. Rally Vincent! 102-1 [Roar] -2 Rally Excellent!! -3 [Spin] [Screech] 103-1 Rally Great heel and toe! -2 Rally And smooth countering!! May Kya -- !! -3 Rally [Squeal] 500 cubic inch V8 vibration in our butts! -4 Rally And -- a spin turn!! Note Cubic inch in the foot-pound system, 500 ci = 8 liters. -5 [Settle] [Stop] -6 Rally What's wrong, May? May [Ge...] I feel sick... 104-2 May Rally, wanted poster faxed in. Rally Really? -3 Rally You're putting a lot of effort in bounty hunting these days? We, well. -4 May As I thought? Yes! You're getting this work to pay the Elan's repair bill. -5 May It cost a lot because the entire body is made of FRP (?)... Rally [Grab] Just shut up!! -7 Rally $60,000 bail bond on Michael Walker. Delicious work. 105-1 Rally Put this on the PC network! Address it to the information brokers as usual. -2 Guys [Enter] Hey -- Rally! -3 Rally [Huff] He -- y Mickey, welcome! (I've got work -- I've got work.) -4 Mick Some more targets, as usual. Rally I've got some Husseins in stock. -5 Mick Hey, great -- I'll take 20! Rally Ri -- ght. -6 Rally Hmm... -7 Rally Sir, this barrel is worn out... Guy A -- rgh. I've been using this one for 10 years!! -8 Mick See you later, Rally. Guy 2 Have you fixed my Uzi pistol? Rally Sure. Would you like to see an 08? 106-1 [Brrring] -2 Rally If you want the 08 to operate properly, you have to use European ammo... Guy 2 Hmmm, shame that good old American ammo isn't strong enough. -3 May Rally -- phone! It's Becky! Rally Ah -- ok. -4 Guy 2 He -- hey!... Rally Sorry -- someone else will take my place. -5 May She's already got data on this morning's fax. Rally Lucky! Please wait on him. -6 Rally Hello! Becky '-lo. I see you're looking for that robber, Michael, right? -7 Rally Hey, why the rush this time? I don't need C-class, or less, information. Becky This is strickly grade A-Class -- A!! 107-1 Rally Grade A? Really? Becky Exactly! The good stuff you have to savor by the next morning. -2 Becky How much is the bounty? Rally It's $60,000. Don't take advantage of me. -3 Becky Well, how's $200 sound? Rally Sold!! -4 Rally [Turn] [Click] Sending, hold on, eh. Now. You're account ID is... ok. -5 [Typing] -6 Rally O -- k, sent it. Becky Just a sec... Eh... ah, ok! Got it. -7 Becky He's hiding at night in the #4 storehouse of Nakamura Heavy Industry, near the 200 block of Jefferson St. Good luck, eh! -8 Rally [Click] Thank you. -9 Rally Huh? 108-2 Clyde [Click...] Ok! -3 [Snik] -4 Bon. [Snik] You want to say something. -5 Becky Are you going to kill her? -6 Bon. Heh... not a chance! 109-1 Bon. I just want to... Cut that bitch's hands and legs off!! -2 Clyde And I won't be happy until I remove her eye. Because she's crippled my sister. -4 Bon. [Chak] Well! -5 Bon. It's time to prepare for the party. 110-1 May You say, Becky ok'd the $50 you accidently transferred? -4 [Zip] -5 May That's definitely strange, for that old miser... Rally Think so? What a thing to say... -6 [Snap] -7 Rally Someone might be threatening her... Anyway, there's a good chance that this is a trap. -8 [Slap] 111-1 [Snik] -2 May Shouldn't we take this to the police? We can't make money if this really is a trap. -3 Rally The police aren't an option! -4 [Swup!!] -5 Rally We're moving out! 112-2 May Um, Rally... Rally Hm? -3 May A while ago, I wondered, if this is a trap, the bad guys are... -5 Rally I've been expecting this since Bonnie escaped. May Thought so. 113-1 May You're on the wrong track, if you won't take this to the police because you think it's your responsibility. My handgrenade's what blew off her legs. -2 Rally That's not it. She'll remain a problem until I show up. -3 May You'll kill her? -4 Rally May be the other way around. If Becky is a hostage... -5 [Roar] 114-2 [Rumbling] -3 Rally Now that we've entered the trap, We'll go through the wall with the car. May E -- h, but you just had the Cobra fixed!? -4 Rally Those two're totally insane. We should rescue Becky as soon as possible... -7 May Yes! Ok!! 115-1/2/3/4 [Push] [Roar] [Climb] [Shift] [Roar] [Squeal] -5 Rally When I stop, jump out!! (Note: Her glasses have disappeared.) May Ok!! 116-1 [Smash] Chapter 5: Burst 118-1 [Zip] -2 [Jump] -3 Guard !! -4 [Climb] 119-1 [Kneel] -2 [Crawl] -3 Guard Ahh... I just heard a crash. Might be an accident up front. I'll check it out. 120-1 Bon. Well, how unsubtle she is... Clyde She's second-guessed us. -2 Bon. Then... I didn't expect her to fall for the trap up front. -4 May Yup... Rally was right. -5 May [Turn] Good thing we didn't crash through the front door... 121-1 [Pump] -2 Rally ! -3 [Whrrr] -4 Guard [Skreek] !! -5 Guard Wh... 122-1 Guard Hey... What is this!! -2 May Ayayaya, this is a bad sign. -3 Rally I'm in trouble... The police will get here sooner than I planned. -4 [Click] [Snak] 123-1 [Whump] -2 Rally !! -3 Clyde [Eject] Rally Vincent -- listen to me!! -4 Clyde I know you're in here... Guard A -- A -- A -- Clyde Come out now if you don't want me to kill this guy!! -5 Clyde I'll also tell you that Bonnie is in back, getting ready to hack the freckled girl's fingers off!! 124-1 Cop Roy! C'mere a sec... Roy Huh? Voice I heard another gang member died last night... Voice The guy with the pellet wounds? -2 Cop You're handling the Bonnie case... right? Two new pieces of info on that. -3 Roy Has last night's victim come to yet? Cop He just died, but he did talk, first. -4 Roy She took $500,000 from them? Cop Also, we heard from a paid informant... -5 Roy A driver!? Cop Looks like they hired one, but we can't trust this bit... 125-1 Roy By the way, do you know where Rally Vincent is? Cop The bounty hunter? How can I know, if you don't. -2 Cop Something up? Roy Nothing... I'm expecting Bonnie to exact revenge before escaping. -3 Cop She'll attack Rally-chan? But, will she stick around that long, with things stirred up from last night? -4 Roy She'll do that!! Bonnie is a pure sadist. -5 Roy She once cut a classmate into pieces... She's a female version of Jack the Ripper! -6 [Thud] 126-1 Rally Hi, Mr. Clyde. Clyde Yo! Long time no see, Rally-chan. -2 Clyde Gonna shoot me? Gonna fight Bonnie surrounded by three dead bodies? Rally I doubt you've actually taken Bonnie hostage! -3 Clyde [Sneer] I can take YOU hostage!! You bought 3 pairs of silk shorts at the Century Department store three days ago, didn't you. -5 [Thunk] 127-1 Rally Ok... I'll come down... I have to find Becky, first. Minnie May, follow me. -2 Clyde [Squeeze] I'll help you. -3 [BOO -- OOM] 128-1 [Chak] -4 [Topple] -5 [Whump] 129-1 [Snak] [Whack] -2 Rally Shit!! -3 [Stomp] -4 Rally [Stand] Ha -- hah!! -5 May [Pull] Rally!! -6 Clyde Hoh. What're you going to do, throw that toy at us? -7 Rally .... that idiot. 130-2 Bon. Well, what a great collection... From a shotgun and bulletproof vest, to a CZ 75 and 4 spare clips, to the wrist gun and a knife. -3 Bon. [Slip] Clyde! You knew she was wearing the vest when you shot her, right? Clyde Of course. If I can't tell from the silhouette, I'm no real man. I caught her alive for you. -4 Rally You don't need Becky anymore... let her go free... -5 Bon. Heh... what's wrong? Your face looks a little pale. 131-1 [Thwok] -2 Rally Gu!!... -3 Rally Ah... oh. Bon. Awwww, you've broken a rib. -4 Becky Mmmm -- !! -5 Bon. However... my pain was much worse, when I lost my legs. -6 Bon. I'll let you make up for that, with you're right hand!! 132-1 [Thunk] -6 Rally Kyaaaa -- !! 133-1 Bon. [Swing] Ha ha -- h. Don't worry! I'll forgive you, after I shoot your knees. -2 Bon. I'll let the other two women die in an explosion, when I'm done. -5 Rally Do you think you can get away... If you call that much attention to yourself!! -6 Bon. We've hired the best driver in the underworld. Don't worry. -7 Rally ! -8 [Tap tap-tap tap-tap-tap tap tap] 134-1 Rally Becky -- don't look!! -2 Becky !! (note: The tape on Becky's mouth has disappeared.) -6 [Strain] -7 [Blam] 135-2 Bon. A flash grenade!? -5 [Slice] -6 [Cut] -7 Bon. !! -8 [BOO -- OOM] 136-1 Clyde [Splash] Oof! -2 Bon. Jeezus!!..... -3 [Stomp] [Pop] -4 [Thud] -5 [Chak] [Eject] 137-1 [BOO -- OOM] -2 Rally Shit! -3 [BOO -- OOM BOO -- OOM] [Zip zip] -4 [Silence] -6 Bon. Heh... 138-1 [Plop] 139-1 May Are you ok? The pellets... Rally Only hit a little... -2 Becky Mm -- !! -3 [Blink] -4 [Run] -6 Rally [Spin] Who is it!? -7 [Zing] -8 Rally ! 140-1 [Whip] -2 Bon. [Whing] Die!! -4 [Grab] -5 Bon. Rally Vincent!! -6 [BOO -- OOM] 141-3 [Clatter] -4 Bean You got her... -5 Rally [Whump] ...Who? -6 Bean Their driver. I came to check on them when they started running late... -7 Rally ! -8 Bean However... I don't want to fight with you. It's their failure, not making it to my car on time. 142-1 Rally You said driver... Even for criminals and illegal products? -2 Bean [Spin] As long as you pay... -3 Rally Then, we're enemies... -4 Bean Yup... -5 Bean Meet you again... sometime. Chapter 6: CZ 75 144-2 Rally Damn... -3 [Bam bam bam bam] 145-1 [Boom] -2 [Roar revving] -3 Rally [Run] Vaskie!! -4 [Rush] 146-1 [WHAM] -2 [Shift] -3 [Trip] -4 [Revving] 147-1 [Roar] [Crashing] -2 Rally [Spin] Shit!! -3 [Raise] -4 [Roaring] [Squealing] 148-1 Rally A -- ah... Cop You! Freeze!! -3 Roy Ah... -4 Roy Ha -- ha! You blew it! Plus, it was a rookie that tagged you as a criminal!? -5 Rally I would have caught him if I were up to par! Roy ... it's the time of your period? 149-1 Rally ... Roy! How rude. Have you forgotten? -2 Roy Eh...? -3 Rally Hey, the CZ-75, the CZ-75!! Old model!! You're supposed to pick it up from the evidence room!! -4 Rally I remember, you said "Ok, Ok. Trust me, trust me!" -5 Roy What's with you... It's not like you to blame your gun for your own screw-ups. Not only that, but isn't the Sig you now have more accurate than any gun made in Czechoslovakia? -6 Rally Shall we go to... the shooting range? 150-1 [Blam blam blam] -2 [Click] -3 [Zi -- p] -4 Roy Impressive -- 8 shots in 5 seconds at 20 yards: one hole. Rally The distance between me and my quarry was just like this. -5 Roy [Pop pop pop] If so, you did have a chance to shoot him. Rally He had a hostage, and he shot the radiator -- the steam threw me off! 151-1 Roy -- And an old CZ-75 would have made a difference? Rally I could have done my special "thumb shot" at 20-25 yards. -2 Roy Sigh... Does it make that much difference? If you're really good, your tools don't matter. -3 Rally The accuracy of both guns is about the same, but the grip is completely different. Roy [Drop] You're joking! You're saying it's easier to hold a 15 round clip that it is an 8 round clip? -4 Rally [Here] Just compare the grips of the CZ 75... and this one. -5 Roy Oh... 152-1 Roy -- I'm surprised... Rally Understand now? They narrowed the grip, and made it more rounded -- which makes it easier to hold. -2 Rally But, that's not all. Break your "Government" down... -3 Rally [Slide] Tap the frame with the slide... and check out the sound. -4 Roy [Gon gon] Hmm... -5 Rally Next try the CZ! -6 Roy [Ching ching] ! -7 Roy What is this!! It sounds like glass! Rally As far as I know... No other handgun uses metal that hard. 153-1 Rally I think the handgun reached the peak of it's evolution with the old CZ-75. If anything could be changed, it would to make the grip full checkered walnut, and the levers bigger... Note Walnut is "kurumi", best for a gun's grip. Rally But when they tried to export it from Czechoslovakia to western countries, they had a problem with manufacturing costs and mass-production... The quality of the material didn't allow the western process to shorten the manufacturing time, and to lengthen the life-expectancy of the machine blades. To compensate, bringing the accuracy back up, they extended the slide rail. For me, that's not a solution, it's just a bandaid. 154-1 Roy He -- h. I thought the gun's materials were all the same... -2 Rally But, the new model is still good quality, although the export version of the CZ-75 has a worse paint finish. -3 Roy -- However, Rally, you are nasty. Rally Why? -4 Roy Did you really think there was such a great gun in the evidence room? -5 Rally I had a slight hope... [Snap] It was a 1 in 10,000 shot. -6 Roy It has a premium among gun fanatics, right? Rally I'll pay $3000 if it's in good condition. Roy [Whistle] Really? -7 [Grab] 155-1 Cop Hey, Rally-chan -- leaving already? Black Can I give you a ride? Roy Hmph. -2 Woman She's much more popular than you, Roy. Rally Aha, that true? Roy That's none of your business! -3 Roy Hey! You assholes -- stop using official cars to pick up women!! -4 Rally Ah, I almost forgot. Roy! -5 Roy Huh? I hope she doesn't ask for a difficult favor. Rally Please tell me who the hostage was. 156-1 Woman A -- ah, not known yet. Rally That so!? Cop Roy, can I drive her home in a private car? Roy I want that report TODAY!! -2 Voice Uh... B -- ye Rally I'll take a raincheck. Later. -3 [Tap] -5 [Beep - beep] 157-1 Scott Well. Miss Vincent, care for a ride? -2 Scott I'll drive. -3 Rally Ah, lawyer-san... Scott I heard about this from the police, over the phone. Vaskie took a hostage and escaped? -4 Rally Eh... Heh... How embarrassing. -5 [Thrum] 158-1 Scott -- So, Vaskie added "kidnapping" to his record. Will you continue to work on this? Rally Yes, exactly! -2 Scott Even though the reward doesn't change. Rally The accuracy of Vaskie's shooting doesn't change, either. -3 Scott [Blink] Ha ha... sounds dependable. -4 Scott [Zaaa] I hear you're carrying a different gun now. Rally Yes... a Swiss-made Sig P210. Note In America, people read S I G as "Sig." -5 Scott [Rumble] Sig!? Not a Sawar, but a P210!? Hey, that's good! Rally Aha, you like guns, lawyer Scott? Note American pronounciation for the gun is Sauer. -6 Scott Yes indeed... I've participated in the Bianci Cup. Rally Really!? Note Famous American shooting competition. Scott Just a second, can I look at it now? -7 Scott Even with a full load, it has a good balance, I'm told. -8 Rally It's not that good... Note Full load: when the clip has as many rounds as it can hold. 159-1 Scott [Hold] Humm... You're carrying this gun in combat mode, and full-cocked safety on... Note Combat mode is one round in the chamber, giving it one more bullet than normal. Note The hammer is pulled back, but the safety is on. -2 Rally [Aim] ! -3 Scott Put all the guns you're carrying, in the back seat... please. And then... drive as I tell you. -4 Rally Scott-san...? Scott Quickly!! -5 Scott Vaskie took my daughter hostage today. Please do as I say! -7 Scott Hurry!! 160-1 [Stop] -2 [Rumble] [Clatch] -3 Rally [Slam] Slam..... -6 Rally [Squeal] [Roar] ! -7 Rally ...... -8 [Brrrrr] -9 Scott [Click] Hello, Scott here... Vask. It's me! -10 Scott How, how is my daughter!! Vask. Don't push me. Did you disarm her? 161-1 Scott Of course!! I took 4 guns from her... -2 Vask. Sounds good... I'll trust you, and set her free tonight. Scott I want to hear my daughter's voice!! -3 Vask. Ok, sure. -4 Vask. Go ahead. Linda Ah... -5 Linda Pa... papa -- ... -6 Scott [Click] Linda!! Linda, is that you?! 162-1 Linda [Squeeze] Uh.... -2 [Blam] -4 Rally [Shift] ...... -5 Guy Don' move. Rally ! -6 Guy Looks like you gots money. Gimme some. 163-2 [Grab] -3 [Whack] -4 [Gunshot/Smack] -5 Rally ! -8 [Run] 164-2 Vask. Hmph... -3 [Spin] -4 [Shock] -5 Rally Gack!! It's a RG-14! Typical Saturday Night Special!! Note A cheap gun often used in crimes, made by a third-rate manufacturer. Sometimes, illegally. Named because it is frequently confiscated on Saturday nights. -6 Rally This is no good! It's a 15... no 22 diameter. I can't shoot unless I'm within 10 yards of him! And he can hit me at 50 yards... -7 Rally I can't engage in a gunfight. The only way is... -8 Vask. Rally Vincent!! -9 Rally [Clinking] ! 165-1 Vask. [Run] You're running into a dead end! Let's finish this morning's fight!! -2 Rally [Pop] [Pour] What are you thinking? -3 [Show] -4 Rally [Psssh] It's best if you ran out of the state as soon as possible!! -5 Vask. If I kill Chicago's Rally Vincent in a gunfight... I'll be famous!! -6 Rally [Scrape] How can you say this, since I'm so handicapped. -7 Rally [Plopping] How's the hostage girl!? -8 [Run] -9 Vask. [Spin] I killed her!! 166-1 [Hide] -3 Rally He's at 60 yards... So! Come to me. -4 Rally [Blam] Shit!! -5 Vask. Shoot! I know you have a gun! The RG-14!! -6 Vask. It's one of the guns I gave to the gang around here. -7 Vask. Or, can't you use a $60 gun?! Rally A little bit more. -8 Rally [Blam] Uw! 167-1 [Step] -2 Rally Right on the mark. -3 [Run] -4 Vask. You fool! -5 [Skid] -6 [Flash] -7 Vask. ...... -8 [Lift] 168-1 [Bang] -2 CZ!! Chapter 7: Hang Fire 169-1 Grey If you don't want to pay, it's ok... It might be fun if you can dismantle it... -2 Guy Al -- right, I have disabled the electrical part!! Steve! Give me a 6mm hex!! Steve Yes. -3 Guy [Krik] I have... -4 Guy Seen this before... Steve Huh? -5 Guy Do you know... Ken Tarky? Steve Pin set! -6 Guy 4 years... ago, that job, was it? Steve Ah... the one we couldn't dismantle, and which took out the entire building. Guy Look's like he's come back to work. -7 Guy [Krik] And is as competent as ever... 170 [Ka -- BLAM] 172-5 [Shhhh] 173-1 May [Pat] N! -2 [Twist] -4 [Pucker] -7 [Slide] 174-2 May Rally. -3 May Rally! May Hey! -4 Rally Hm -- ? ....... 175-1 May Morning -- Rally Ah -- ... -2 May N'well, I'm going out. -3 Rally A -- h, ah... now I remember, you're taking today off... May Are you going to open the shop? It's already 10 AM. -4 Rally Give me a break, I'm taking today off, too! May What's wrong? -5 Rally I'd been interrogated until this morning, because of yesterday's incident. Both the target and the hostage died... Her father, the lawyer, went insane and attacked me... -6 Rally [Sniff] May, what are you doing today? -7 May [Click] Gotta date. -8 Rally A date?.... I wonder when that child found a boyfriend... 176-1 [Slam] (Note: Notice the license plate.) -2 May Ah! -3 May Ken! -5 May [Running] Sorry I'm late. 177-1 Ken Ma... -2 May Kyaaa --, Ke -- n. It's been so lo -- ng. -3 Ken May!? You're Minnie May!! May What's with you, Ken!! Have you forgotten me!? -4 Ken Do... don't kid me! You've grown in 4 years!! May You haven't changed! 178-1 Voice Kentucky? Real name -- Colonel? (Play on Colonel Sanders.) Guy 4 years... ago, that job, was it? Steve Ah... the one we couldn't dismantle, and which took out the entire building. Roy It's "Ken Tarky." Real name, Ken Takizawa. Japanese- American. Demolitions specialist. -2 Cop Haven't heard of him... No wonder, he's just now surfaced after a 4 year absence. Roy Until now, he's worked just on the east coast. This might be his first job in Chicago. -3 Roy [Press] Here it is! -4 Roy The bomb exploded right after he cut this cable. This is the end, here. Voice How about the timer being set? -5 Roy [Click] Slim -- he'd already cleared the computer. -6 Roy [Ping] -- Eh? 179-1 Roy What did the demand notice say? Cop $20,000,000 and the release of several Arab terrrorists... But that just may be camoflague. -2 Roy Why so. Cop After the explosion, the regular Arab terrorist group also took responsibility for it. -3 Roy Right. Then, does that mean the car is our only clue? Cop The car had been stolen in Detroit! We can't count on it. -4 Roy If the money is not in a Swiss account by 10 AM, 2 days from now, a bomb 5 times stronger will explode. I hope it's a bluff. Cop So, in the end, Ken Tarky is our only lead. -5 Roy [Rurururu] Yes... Even though our man failed to dismantle the bomb, it's the instinct of a pro... We can trust it. -6 Roy Have a file on him? Cop Here. 180-1 Cop Probably 34 years old... That's our only photo of him. Roy How can we identify him in sunglasses, dammit! -3 Ken [He he] Thought so... May [Plop] What? -4 Ken You don't look 17. May Aha. -5 May And you are so strong, unlike most guys [Grab] in their 30's... Spunky. -6 Ken May... were you this horny before? May Are you horny now? You were with that 13-year-old girl four years ago. 181-2 Ken Something happen to you in the Purple Cat House? -4 May ... You know of that? Ken I've been looking for you for 4 years. -5 Ken -- But, no wonder I couldn't find you. That place is owned directly by a Chinese boss. So, I lost your trail... -6 Ken I probed around half a year ago, and finally... -7 May Ken... isn't a brothel girl good enough for you? Won't you go to bed with me...? 182-1 Ken May... May I couldn't help it... At that time, 4 years ago, the Mafia was about to catch me... -2 May I escaped into China Town... Snuck into the garden of the shop... -3 May The manager found me... I'd thought he'd hand me over to the police, or the Mafia... -4 May But, he hid me... and fed me great food for several weeks... And because I... I owed him a lot... -5 May Be... because... I... I... The shop... But... everyone was nice... he gave me a lot of money... 183-1 Ken May... it's ok now! May Bu... but... but... I quit one and a half years ago... I grew up one inch since then... -2 [Hug] -3 Ken It's ok now... I was just worried about your tiny body. -4 Ken I'm sorry... May Ken... -5 Ken Nothing has changed... A small-bodied girl smelling of gunpowder... Pretty 13 year-old Minnie May. -6 May Then, Ken's still a middle-aged bomb freak with a Lolita complex. Who takes advantage of that small-bodied girl. Ken That's terrible. 184-1 May Ah..... -3 [Splashing] -4 [Rrrrn rrrr.....] -5 Rally Huh. Sounds like an old Z. That's unusual. -6 [Thrumming] 185-1 [Rumble] -5 Rally [Rumble] Eh!? -6 Rally That was, I believe... 186-2 Cop It's hard to collect info on an incident four years old. Roy There's several other places to check. -3 Cop [Slam] What do we do if it dries up after that? Roy [Slam] Why don't we go to Forensics to get some data... or go to this morning's explosion site... -4 Cop [Drive] It's tough being a cop. Roy You're a pro, doing your job even as you piss and moan about it. -5 Woman ..... they've left! -6 [Stand] -7 Woman They came to check Tarkey's address, because of the make of the bomb. Grey I know... The police aren't stupid. 187-1 Woman Will you leave tomorrow? Grey Only after the Organization gets the $20 Mil! -2 Woman Th... that's! -3 Grey [Plop] We couldn't get the money four years ago, because they found the bomb before the deal was made... But this time, we'll keep at it until we get the cash. -4 Woman But... it's not wise to hire the same bomber! Because of this, I'm identified as a co-conspirator again! -5 Woman I may have a criminal record, but I now have a fiance who loves me! Please don't involve me in this anymore! -6 [Whap] -7 Grey Tarky has made a bomb that no one can disable. If you keep shouting... -8 Grey I'll kill your fiance. 188-1 Grey ! -2 Woman Ah? -3 Grey [Coughing] Time to leave... -4 Woman Eh..... -5 Grey The driver will bring the car with the bomb to the target, soon. We'll go pick up the car. -6 Grey Don't even think about running away during this. 189-2 May Eh? -3 May Dis...mantle? What? -4 Ken A bomb... One I made... -5 May Im... impossible! Because... Everything I know, I learned from you, Ken! -6 Ken Have a look at this... -7 May Hmmm... Ken My handwriting. -8 May Ah... 190-1 May Ke... kenshouen. (Note: This is a sports disease that affects the joints. A form of tendonitis. Literally translates to "tendon blaze.") Ken ...yes. It gets worse when I'm nervous... -2 Ken I want to get out of the Organization... However, if I make a low-level bomb or a dud, I'll be killed... -3 Ken I made 2 bombs this time, and didn't know which one they'd use as a demo... So, I had to do my best. -4 Ken Even with my hands shaking, I can use an assistant during the manufacturing stage. If I do the setting last, there's no problem. But, disarming it is another story... -5 Ken I need someone as competent as me. If it goes well... I'll be happily discharged, 'cause I made a unit that can be easily dismantled. 191-1 Ken Can you do it? May YES. -2 May Hey! You'll stay in Chicago after this, right? Well? -3 Ken Ah, er... May Kya -- !! -4 May Hey! Hey! Let's live together, ok!? Ken N, no, right now I can't answer that... -5 May Not -- good enough! If you don't say yes, I won't give you a blow job anymore. Ken Ah, I'm in trouble... -6 May Well, is it "yes"? Ken .... Yes. -7 May Kya -- !! You're reward -- ! Ken [Plop] I don't have any energy left... 192-1 [Pose] -2 May I... I've never seen this type before ---- Ken This is a replica. Relax, it's ok. The bomb and battery are hollow. -3 Ken First step, the computer protect. It uses a PC... If you remember how to connect it, you only need to activate this disk. -4 Ken If you don't remove the protect, it'll explode regardless of what you try to do. Be careful! -5 Ken The real bomb is mounted in a car... It has a gyro sensor instead of a jiggle switch. 193-1 Ken Even without the jiggle switch, it'll blow if the z-axis changes 3 times. First, jack up the car slightly, to prevent any tilting. -2 May He, hey! In a car!? How do we find it? -3 Ken I couldn't determine which car they'll use, but I know where they'll park it. We just look for a car with Michigan plates. -4 Ken We have a 26 hour time limit! No time for sleeping. -5 [Appear] -6 Grey Did you drive carefully? Bean Even water in a full glass wouldn't have overflowed. Grey ... Alright! Here's you're $40,000. 194-1 Bean The driving fee for 100 kilo of coke... I'll assume it's all there. You can do whatever you want with the coke. -2 [Walking] -3 [Ka -- cha] -4 [Chank] -5 Ken Wrong! That one turns CLOCKwise! May He ---- en. Chapter 8: Misfire 196-1 [Rrrrr] -2 May You're leaving your mini here? Ken The Organization knows what my car looks like. -3 [Prr Rrr Rrr] -4 [Click] -5 May Hello, Hopkins here. Ah! Rally!? What -- ? -6 Rally What do you mean "What"? I thought you were only taking yesterday off -- but you didn't show today, either! I've been trying to call you since this morning!! -7 May So -- rry. I put the phone in the glove compartment. Rally Ahh, it's fine. You sound fine, and I didn't have many customers today. -8 May ....? Wh -- at do you mean by "fine"? 197-1 Rally Are you downtown now? May Driving along Monroe St. Rally Where are you? Under the Loop? Note Chicago's elevated railway. May The date-route is a se-cr-et! -2 Rally I saw that big-jawed driver heading downtown this morning. -3 May ....!? That broomhead with the glasses and bandana? Rally Right! He was driving an old Datsun Z. Be careful. -4 Rally It was a dark blue... Michigan plate 2-DLC561. -5 Rally I don't think anything will happen, but... He looks like someone in the underworld. And since we saw his face, we should stay alert. May It's ok, don't worry! -6 Rally -- By the way, you said you had a date... You've been at it for a day and a half... -7 May [Clunk] Bi -- ngo. We've been doing it all that time. -8 Rally ..... That child is..... 198-2 Grey You say that Tarky disappeared!? What were you looking for!! -3 Grey [Smash] That's enough!! It's my fault for letting you handle Detroit!! -4 Woman What's wrong? -5 [Growl...] -6 [Flinch...] -7 Grey Tarky didn't want to do this job... And he wanted out of the Organization. -8 Grey Impossible ... ! 199-3 Guy Here! Your car, Sir. -4 Bean [Snatch] Thanks for your help. Guy Nobody in this business would turn down your request for a favor. -5 Bean [Clatch] Later. Guy Ah! Lots of cops out tonight. Watch yourself. -6 Bean Huh? Guy Both the City and State are twitchy, after the bomb blast in the Marina City Parking Lot yesterday. 200-1 Bean An isolated area like that had a bombing? It must have been a demo prior to a money demand. Guy The police think so... They're frantically looking for the second bomb. -2 Guy They're searching every car with Michigan plates, so keep your eyes open. -3 Bean [Slam] I'm still in good shape, so don't worry about me, bastard. -4 [Squeal] -5 Bean ..... 201-3 Ken We're up shitcreek... I didn't expect the ramp to be this big... This place even has a sub-basement. May Hold on, one car in seven has Michigan plates. -4 May [Thrumming] It'll take hours to check all of them. Don't you have a clue to make it faster? Ken The Organization set the bomb and got the car... After that, a pro driver handled the rest. -5 May Pro... driver?... -6 May W... wait... is it a huge guy with a huge jaw... Ken !! You know him! -7 May Rally saw him! An old deep blue Datsun! 2DLC561! 202-1 [Snik] -2 [Flap] -3 May Co... coke? Ken No, that's just flour for cover. No driver will carry a bomb like this. -4 Ken Afraid of that, they've switched the safety off... -5 Ken [Chink] May, get four tire jacks from the other cars. May Right! -6 Ken Put them under the suspension! I'll take care of the guard and security system. 203-1 Rally [Thrumming] Becky. Becky Hi -- . -2 Becky A blue, pointed-nose Datsun Z? That guy with the jaw!? -3 Rally I have a bad feeling about this... I'm looking for May. Becky Is she around here? Rally I heard the Loop over the phone. -4 Rally This is the part of Monroe St. which crosses the Loop. Becky Ok. I know all of the gangs around here. All I have to do is look for a Fiat 500, right. -5 Rally [Doron] [Zuoouuu] Well... -6 Rally Aha -- an LS7 -- strange. Note Chevy Corvette Stingray '70 model. Strongest engine of its class. 454 cubic inch, 7.4 liter, 460 Hp. After 1971, this model had less power because of government fuel regulations. Becky She's.... a car freak... -7 [Thrumming] 204-1 Rally Ah... -3 [Tap] -4 [Ticking] -5 Ken Hah! Did you get the protect? -6 May [Flap] Ah -- yup. What did you do? Ken It's ok. I slept the guards. -7 Ken And, I marked this floor as full. May Well done! The light sensor code is upper part, right 2.3, left 1. -8 Ken Ahh, if you don't deactivate that sensor, the light will trigger the bomb. -9 Ken [Tap] As is the case for the trap on the lid: if you try to use neutral red light, it will also react. May Tarky is nasty. -10 Ken [Clip clip] The other ways are to use a starlight scope, or by feel. May No wonder why people say this is an undisarmable bomb. 205-1 [Bing] -2 May !! The elevator..... Ken Relax. -4 [Blink off] -5 Ken I did a number on the wires in the control panel. So, the elevator won't stop on this basement floor. And, I locked all the doors to the stairs. -6 Ken [Puff] We have enough time... 206-1 Grey Tarky... That's enough. Reset it. -2 Ken Grey! You bastard... -3 Grey If not, do you two want to die right here? I know enough -- you can't deactivate it just by removing the protect. -4 Bean Oh -- before that... Grey !! 207-1 Bean Thought so. Looks like it is a bomb. That's $100,000 hazard pay. -2 Grey Bean... you shit. Your work is over here. -3 Bean Grey! There's a rule, even in the underground... You should pay the penalty for lying to me. -4 Grey [Squeeze] Hah! You're just a driver -- don't get too uppity. -5 [Papapapap] -6 [Running] 208-1 [Smash] -2 [Skid] -3 Grey !! -4 Bean [Ka -- whack] Those were just 9mm para!! Note Short form for a 9mm parabellum round, AKA 9x19 Ruger bullet. World's most popular bullet. 209-1 [Crash] -3 Bean They can't penetrate this chain-mail and kevlar jacket!! Grey! The $100,000 -- or your life!? Rally That's enough!! 210-1 Rally This is a 10 gauge aimed at your head. Jaw-man. -3 May Ho, hold on, Ken! Ken Now that Grey found me... -4 Ken I have to kill him, otherwise the Organization will kill me... -5 [Bam bam] -8 [Shift] -9 [Swing] 211-1 Grey [Smash] Ha -- !! -2 [Push] -3 [Crash] [bang] -4 May [Bump] Kya!! -5 [Tap] 212-1 [Pop] -2 May Kya -- a !! -3 May The jumper switch's been triggered!! It'll blow in five minutes!! -4 Rally Eh? -5 Ken Shi... -7 Grey Bean Bandit!! 213-2 [BOOM!] -4 [Clatter] -5 Bean Did you intend on helping me? Rally Right! Freeze! -6 Ken [Flap] Hurry! Make it fast!! -7 Ken You guys get the hell out of here!! I upgraded the explosives for this bomb!! Even outside, you'll get hurt when this building collapses!! 214-1 [Sha sha] -2 Note [Lift] If she removes the screws completely, it will explode! -3 Ken You've got 4.20 to remove the primer protection system under the gyro. -4 Rally [Turn] Ah..... -5 Rally Stop right there!! You should take responsibility for delivering the car!! -6 [Snip] -7 Ken [Snip] 4 minutes! -8 Bean Don't be so rigid. I showed you the way here, didn't I? Rally Did you know I followed you? -9 Bean [Clatch] The GT 500 is unusual enough to be easily recognized. -10 Bean [Slam] Anyway, there's still no bounty on me. -11 Bean [Vrooom rrrrr] Come see me when there is one. (Umm... how did his car get into the garage unnoticed?) Rally ...... 215-1 Ken [Conk] 3 minutes! -2 [Plop] -3 [Slurp] [Kiss] -4 Rally Why a timer, if a wire is cut? Ken Because, using a timer makes it difficult to detect the specific trigger wire, even if someone is taking notes. -5 [Squeak squeak squeak] -7 Ken 2 minues 30! May Grk... -8 May Got the gyro ok! -10 May Gack! -12 Ken Among all those wires, 8 are for the cut-wire real-time switch. 216-1 May ..... Erk.... Ken You can cut all the black wires! They're dummies. -2 Ken [Cut] Upper set, 2 blue wires in from the right... -3 May Uh, Ken... Ken Bottom red wire on the left... Mmm? -4 May [Poke snip snip] After this is done... Can we live together? -5 Ken What, at a time like this... May Answer me! -6 Ken Ah... of course we can live together. -7 Ken Down to 30 seconds! May Aha. -8 May [Pop] Done!! -9 Ken [Zip] Pull off the primer cord!! 4 seconds. 217-1 [Wipe] -2 [Sweep] -3 [Flash] (If those are wires leading to an IC, why do they have enough power to trigger a detonator?) -5 Ken You did it. May Mm. -6 Rally Oh.... 218-1 Ken !? -5 Letter -- Grey is still alive, I guess. 219-1 The Organization probably already knows of my betrayal... From now, I'm living as a fugitive. -2 I won't see you again. I can not stand the idea of putting May and her friends in danger. -3 I want you to find a nice man, and be happy. -4 I enjoyed our two days together... Thank you. =========================================================================== 220 The following artwork comes from Sonoda's studio assistants. These are their own representations of Rally and Minnie May, with comments. 222 Both strips show Sonoda's childhood interests in toy guns and fireworks. It's this experience that went into forming the characters of Rally and May. =========================================================================== Back Cover: Name: May Hopkins (AKA Minnie May) (The cover gives it as "Popkins") Age: 17 Weight: 83.6 lbs Height: 4' 9.5" Note: According to some reports, Sonoda actually named Rally after Larry Hagman on Bewitched, and she should technically be called Larry Vincent. But common fan usage has it as Rally, and that's the spelling I prefer. Note: When Sonoda/Rally refers to the "Government," it's the standard issue Colt Government Model, Series 80. A .45 with an 8-round magazine.