The Bounty | Teen Ink

The Bounty

November 19, 2017
By Appler213 BRONZE, Amery, Wisconsin
Appler213 BRONZE, Amery, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

The bar that Miguel sat at was in the middle of the room, and circled around an assortment of shelves full of drinks. Miguel always hated going into the pub it smelled of and chemical called chlorine it always made him sick to his stomach.  That was not helped by the pubs band continually playing the Star Wars theme song.  This weekend the twelfth movie is just coming out and people are just as excited as the first.  

Miguel sat down at the table and wondered how long he would have to sit there this time before someone would come to him and ask for something done for them. Miguel was part of a business that was more dangerous than any other, he was a bounty hunter.  The tradition had been in the family for centuries and so far he was the best at it.  Finally, a local resident of mars came to him and asked him a favor, “Do you know a Walker?”

Miguel replied, “I do not disclose who I work for at any point in time.”

The stranger, bellowed back “Well, you are going to be a little prickle to work with.”

“Well you know my business is dangerous.” I start to reply 

“Good” the stranger blurted “you’re exactly the person I need.”

Miguel started his standard questioning procedure with, “What’s your price, and who are you looking for?” 

“Well” the stranger replied, “His name is Will Walker he is a well-known criminal, the price on his head is two hundred thousand dollars.”

Miguel rocked in his bar chair and mumbled, “two-hundred thousand?”

“Yep and all yours if you accept.” the stranger prompted

Miguel composed himself and stopped rocking, “If I were to have people help me is that against this agreement?” he questioned 

“I have no problem with that, but the money is your problem.” He replied.

“Last questions, do you want him alive or dead, and where do you want him delivered?”

The stranger promptly said, “Alive and on the pub roof.”

Miguel shook his hand and eager to get started popped off his chair and rushed out the door.  Once outside he ran to the bus stop on the platform.  

The City of Neptune is beautifully suspended magnetically above the molten core so, most of the buildings are tall spikes.  Some buildings like the one he was on had circular balconies on each level.  A bus pulled up to the stop, Miguel admiringly look at it and thought, those things must be a feat of engineering. The buses are a cylindrical glass tube on either side where there would normally be wheels there are four rocket boosters.  Miguel boarded the bus and put his things in the storage racks above, and he sat down in the seat. The seats are synthetic fibers that are extremely soft when you sit on them. The railings and armrests contain an anti-microbial material that kills all germs that touch it.  The inside of a bus is a sight to see, as they are designed to have three sides of unobstructed view. 70 percent of the material used must be glass.  Miguel thought to himself wow there is a lot of engineering of the glass so it doesn’t break under pressure. Usually on the bus Miguel has at least one death stare but today must have been different, everyone on the bus gave him the stare.  The bus made its stop at the metro station.  The station is also another feat of engineering.  There is two towers coming up from the core and a glass platforms extending out on either side.  The bus pulled along one of the glass platforms.

Miguel grabbed his things and swiftly left the bus, he was never fond of taking his own ship to the pub as there were too many risks involved.  First people would recognize it, and secondly public transportation protected him. He walked into the building and rode the elevator to the negative first floor. This floor is where Miguel’s business started, the elevator door opened and he was greeted by his crew member Jim, the most comical says,

“How’s life in the pub?”

Miguel studies him and decides that he is joking, he replies with,

“Well Jim the pub was lovely today. We have a new person to catch.” 

Sam, excitedly asked, “What’s his name? What do you know about him?”

Miguel looks off to the window and says dreamily “Well his name is Will Walker and there is a two-hundred thousand bounty on his head.”

Jim pantomimed fainting and Sam already had his finger typing on the computer before I was finished talking.  After Jim was done fainting he asked Miguel,

“Should we get started? I mean it’s only two-hundred thousand dollars.”

Snapping out of his dreamy state, Miguel replied to him,

“There’s only one problem I don’t know where to start looking.”

Poking his head above the monitor Sam spouted,

“I think I might have a solution to that problem. Will Walker is a well-known thief. He stole the legendary Queen’s crown, and other large objects...” Sam gulped and continued on in a quieter voice, “Some specialists say that his next move is to steal the magnetic core of Neptune.”

All the blood drained from their faces this was not a person that needed to be killed because of the law this was now on the home front this battle was personal Jim nervously spoke,

“This Will character might steal the core that this very city sits on?”

Miguel replied to him, “That’s what some say at least.”

Sam also recovering from the shock quickly blurted “I can monitor any ship that comes into the atmosphere.”

Jim also fully recovering replied, “Good Idea Sam I’m going to look at the security camera footage to find any suspicious activity.”

Miguel impressed that his team was quickly trying to find this Will, started to nervously pick up the office. It was a mess. There was trash everywhere.  The office was fairly large in size, each of his crew had their own cubical with a computer and papers everywhere.  The kitchen also a mess, imagine teenagers eating here for a week without doing dishes it was disgusting.  Miguel nervous for the mission ahead started to clean up the kitchen and most of the apartment, when Sam interrupted him, “There’s a ship entering the atmosphere of no familiar shape or branding on the side.” 

Miguel excitedly replied, “Well, what are we waiting for, we have a criminal to catch.”

The three of them hopped in Miguel’s ship and he took off to the location where the mysterious ship had entered.  Sam pointed out,

“That thing has a hyper drive?!”

Jim replied to him “looks to be that way….”

Interrupting them both Miguel interjected, “I’m going to follow that ship until it gets closer to its location.”

“Good plan” said Jim 

Miguel expertly followed the ship ahead until the vessel made a b-line to the core. Miguel put the throttle to the floor and pulled alongside the vessel, Sam and Jim prepared to jump to neighboring ship.  Miguel stopped them and shouted over the roar of the wind.

“Sam can you sit this one out, I don’t want you getting killed.”

Reluctantly Sam agreed. He took the captain’s seat and guided the ship as well as Miguel just did before him. Miguel and Jim jumped from their ship to the monstrosity that was heading for their city’s core.  As the ship barreled closer and closer Jim cut open the door with a laser saw.  Miguel and Jim entered the ship and at the helm was the most famous criminal of all time was at the helm Will Walker.  The color of his skin told the bounty hunters that he was a plutonian. He sneered at them, “You think you can stop me?”

Jim sneered back “Will soon find out.”

Jim and Miguel got a stance and curled their fists and Will charged them and blocked both their blows.  The bounty hunters grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the ground then quickly pointed their guns at prisoner

“Now you’re coming with us.”  Miguel growled 

Sam still in the cockpit of Miguel’s ship saw the thumbs up from Jim and pulled alongside Will’s ship that was still barreling toward the core.  Jim sprinted to the front of the ship and started pressing buttons until the voice prompted, “Manual Control.”

Jim pulled hard back on the stick and the ship leveled out. Will was still fighting Miguel trying to escape his grip, but like a robot Miguel stood firm.  Sam easily guided Miguel’s ship alongside Will’s and Miguel and Will jumped to it.  Miguel shoved Will into the cell that was in the back of the ship.  Sam took the lead and Jim followed. Soon they were both at the docking station on the top of the pub. Sam pulled the ship alongside and Jim pulled along next to Sam.  The stranger emerged from the top of the building and acknowledged, “Well, I never thought you guys would catch this guy before he stole the core, Thanks.”

Miguel replied in a firm voice, “Well we shook on a deal and I want you hold up your end.”

“Oh yes, your money”

The stranger still not knowing his name gave Miguel the money and walked off with the prisoner.  Jim walked across our ship and boarded the strangers and took off.  Sam and Miguel turned around and walked toward their ship, as they boarded, Miguel complemented Sam, “That was some expert level flying back there”

Sam blushed and the bounty hunters flew off into the crowded metropolis.


The author's comments:

This was written for a class but i am very proud of how it turned out.


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