"So, what are we dealing with here?"
Six asked, more to himself than to his crew.
"A conman and a junkie?"
"Pretty much."
Roger confirmed, crossing his arms.
"He's got no ambition beyond staying high and swindling folk. It's all smoke and mirrors. Literally."
Six let out a sharp sigh, his disappointment was palpable. He had been prepared for a high-stakes takedown, something that would require planning, cunning, and decisive action. Instead, he was faced with a sad excuse for a criminal. But he still had a mission to complete, and Parker needed solid proof.
"Alright."
Six muttered, looking at the crew.
"We've got enough dirt to bring him down. He's a fraud and a chem addict, and that alone is enough for Parker to make a move. But let's not forget, we're not doing this for Keith. We're doing it for the camp. We expose him for what he really is and put an end to his little hustle."
Boone stepped forward, his face a little more sympathetic now.
"You think we can still get something out of him? Maybe use this to deal with his little empire?"
Six considered it for a moment.
"We could. Or we could just hand everything over to Parker, let him handle the fallout. This guy's not a big player, but he's been screwing over people who deserve better."
Raul shrugged.
"Either way, I'm just happy to see the end of his crap. He's a cancer in this place."
Rebecca's voice was calm but firm.
"Let's give Parker what we've got. If he's as serious about cracking down on Keith, he'll have to follow through. If not, we'll keep pushing until something happens."
Six nodded, the weight of their findings sinking in. He had hoped for a bigger fish, but the result still mattered.
"Alright, we've got the proof. Let's take it back to Parker and let him handle it."
When they reached Captain Parker's office, the tension in Six's chest lightened just a little. The captain was hunched over his desk, scanning paperwork, but he looked up as they entered, his brow furrowed in anticipation.
"Got what I need?"
Parker asked, his voice low but eager. He glanced at Six's crew, eyes lingering on the evidence they'd gathered.
Six took a breath, then handed over the pile of papers, evidence, and photos—everything his crew had managed to dig up on Keith.
Parker scanned the files quickly, his expression growing more disappointed by the second.
"Well, I'll be damned."
He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"This is... far from what I was expecting."
"Yeah, turns out Keith's more of a con artist than a kingpin."
Six said, crossing his arms, frustration creeping into his voice.
"Nothing but a hustler and a junkie. He's rigging games and dealing chems to feed his addiction. That's all he's got going for him."
Parker sighed deeply, closing the folder.
"I was hoping for more, but... you've given me enough to work with. I can't say I'm happy about it, but I can make this stick. He's a thorn in our side, even if it's just a small one."
Rebecca spoke up, her tone matter-of-fact.
"We're not doing this for Keith. We're doing it for the camp. He's causing trouble, and that's enough reason to bring him down."
Parker gave her a nod of agreement.
"You're right. He might not be the big fish we hoped for, but he's been undermining a lot of the camp's stability. I can't let him get away with it."
Boone grunted.
"Does this mean we can start making a real impact around here? Or do we still need to babysit these petty criminals?"
Six shook his head.
"One problem at a time, Boone. Let's get this handled, and then we'll see where we stand. For now, we've done our part."
Parker stood, putting the folder aside.
"I'll take it from here. I'll make sure Keith gets dealt with accordingly. As for you..."
He looked at each of them, his eyes hardening.
"You've done good work. I'll make sure you're compensated."
Six didn't need to hear it twice.
"Thanks. We'll be keeping an eye on things around here. If this place is crawling with roaches, we'll do what needs to be done to clear 'em out."
Before they left Captain Parker asked Six to assist him in arresting Keith for an extra reward. As they stood outside the Aerotech Suite 200, Captain Parker motioned for Six and his crew to follow him inside.
The captain's demeanor had shifted—his usual stern professionalism had been replaced with something more volatile, more dangerous.
"You all stay back."
Parker ordered, his eyes narrowing as he pushed open the door.
"I'll handle this."
Six exchanged a glance with Rebecca, Roger, Boone, and Raul. It was clear from Parker's tone that this wouldn't be an ordinary arrest. Six didn't like the way things were going. He'd already seen enough of the camp's underbelly to know when emotions were about to boil over.
Inside the suite, Keith was sitting casually at a small table, a deck of cards in front of him, as if he had all the time in the world. When Parker stepped in, Keith smirked, his gaze sweeping over the captain like he was a mere inconvenience.
"Well, well, look who decided to show up."
Keith said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Didn't think I'd see you here, Parker. Your ex-wife tells you to come to find me? Was she looking for a rematch?"
Parker's jaw clenched, and Six could feel the tension crackling in the air. Keith, the degenerate gambler and conman, had clearly learned how to push all of Parker's buttons.
Keith leaned back in his chair, grinning smugly as he continued.
"I guess you didn't know how to keep her happy, huh? Poor thing. Maybe she'd still be around if you had more to offer, huh? Or were you too busy chasing your own fantasies?"
Parker's face went red, a vein in his neck throbbing with the fury that had been boiling over since the moment he entered. Six could see the captain's control slipping with every word that Keith taunted him with. It wasn't just about the job anymore—this was personal.
"You're really going to talk about her like that?"
Parker growled, his fists tightening.
Keith chuckled, oblivious to how far he'd pushed things.
"What's the matter, Parker? Don't like a little truth? You couldn't keep her around, and now you can't even do your job properly. Pathetic."
The words hit their mark, and Parker's rage finally reached its boiling point. Without another word, Parker pulled his sidearm from its holster and fired in one smooth motion. The gunshot rang out, echoing off the walls of the room as Keith slumped forward, his smug expression wiped away in an instant.
Six's crew rushed into the room, but it was already too late. Keith lay dead on the floor, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.
Captain Parker stood over him, his hand still gripping the gun. His breathing was shallow, chest rising and falling with a mixture of anger and regret.
"Damn him, I warned him..."
He muttered, his voice hoarse.
"I warned him, he wouldn't like what happened when he kept poking at me."
Rebecca stepped forward, her face a mixture of surprise and annoyance.
"C'mon, Parker... You said you wanted him arrested, If you wanted him Flatline why make us jump so many hoops."
Parker's gaze flicked toward her, his eyes burning with a quiet fury.
"I lost control. He pushed too far. He was a threat to the camp, but he was also a threat to me. And sometimes, the past... it has a way of catching up with you."
Boone said nothing, but his eyes were hard, and his hand rested on the grip of his rifle, ready for any more trouble.
Roger cracked his knuckles, his voice cool but cutting.
"Well, can't cry over spilled milk. At least Keith won't cause problems for anyone else anymore."
Raul shook his head, muttering something in Spanish under his breath.
"This is a mess, Captain. You've just stained your career with this."
Six looked at Parker, his mind racing with what this would mean for the camp, for them, and for the future. The lines had just been blurred, and no one could ignore the fact that a major shift had just occurred.
"Parker."
Six said quietly, his voice measured.
"I'm no stranger to frontier justice. You're a good man trying to help the helpless in the Mohave, so we'll have to cover this up and say he attacked you first or you'll have to answer for this. Since we've crossed the line already, be ready because this is going to hurt."
In a quick draw Six shot Captain Parker on his shoulder.