"Fine!" snapped Warez, springing to his feet so fast that he almost seemed to teleport. The thug put two meaty palms on the table and leaned forward, smoke billowing from his nostrils like a mythical dragon. A grin split his face, displaying teeth long yellowed by his drug of choice.

"You know, I hope he doesn't like you," Warez said, patting the hilt of a heavy knife on his hip, then turned and yelled some instructions to his men in a dialect Junebug didn't quite follow. They stood and followed Warez out of the bar. Out in the street the exchange of insults between the two gangs was dying down as night feel and booze and sex became more appealing options than testosterone fueled violence. Both gangs had pulled heavy trucks across the road, blocking what little civilian traffic there was with effective road blocks. Both of the big both of the big disel flat beds had armament of a sort, machine guns welded in expertly to pintles and with improvised armor made of metal sheeting. Junebug couldn't imagine the haphazard armor provided much protection, more likely it would just add shapenel to the devastation wrought by whatever incoming fire it was supposed to deflect. 

Neon signs blazed in the night, offering drink, drugs and negotiable affection. Naked women, and in some cases men, stood in upperstory windows gyrating unethusiastically to a variety of musical styles that volume rendered into an indistinguishable boom in the background. Wire mesh had been stretched across the windows to protect against bottles and worse being hurled at the shills. The buildings that lined the dusty street were universally business, bars, clubs and brothels all catering to the gunmens pleasure. Now that Sayeeda knew what to look for the gangsigns and colors were everywhere at this end of the street the Scorpions had a clear advantage while at the other the Spiders were boldest. Those businesses in the middle naturally muted their allegiance not so much to attract both groups, but in order to be able to deny support. It wasn't simple robber though, or at least not only that, the gunmen paid at least a token for what they did, probably because their gang bosses collected protection money from the locals. Civilians mostly stayed inside, waiting no doubt for the night to pass and their unwelcome guests to return to the fields. As they crossed the street Junebug heard screams coming from one of the brothels but none of the gunmen seemed concerned she she figured she could afford not to be.

Warez gestured them towards a four wheeled jeep with a pintle mounted grenade launcher. It didn't look like it had enjoyed any maintence in Sayeeda's life time. She climbed into the back alongside Neil and Taya, regretting that she had bought the girl although Taya herself watched everything with a determined expression trying to be tough. Warez climbed into the cab and spun up the diesel engine which sputtered and coughed smoke before the transmission caught and the wheels spun spraying dust and grit into the door of a nearby bar. One of the patrons shouted an insult as he was pelted with dirt and debris but ducked back inside with a yelp as one of the gunmen casually fired two rounds at the doorway, both missing and blowing chunks from the adobe facade. The truck pulled out into the road and down the dirt street. Beyond the bars and clubs Junebug could see houses and tenement buildings in the alleys and narrow streets beyond. Their lights were out, tryng not to attract attention.

They drove for only a few minutes until they reached the edge of the town. Junebug didn't know if it had a name other than that of the planet, though she didn't imagine her life would be much poorer without that datum. A large compound, encircled by walls topped with broken glass and retrofitted razorwire dominated the eastern approach. Armed guards, half stoned thugs really, stood infront of the gate lounging on seats of cloth stretched over wood frames and cradling weapons. There were even a pair of sandbagged block houses, better organisation than Junebug had seen thus far, protecting the large wrought iron gates. Music blared from inside them and the heavy weapons emplaced inside did not track the approaching truck. The truck pounded to a stop, its unmainted suspension hissing as Warez leaned out of the cab and screamed at the guards to open the gate, they did so without much enthusiasm but a moment later they were driving down a gravel driveway towards a house that might once have been handsome but was now disfigured by obvious attempts to make it defensible.