Chapter One: Dry Air

We met in a place few could endure. A desert whose sands where constantly being flogged by wind. A bar just outside of town was the perfect place for us to scheme. My partner and I enter through the only entrance, a large wooden door pocked with scares. Greeted by stares, it’s probably not too normal to see strangers around these parts and Mark and I definitely looked out of place. He was a fairly large man with a seemingly hardened demeanor. I was a small man with a pleasant face and worn grey eyes, at least that what I've been told. We sat down at the far end of the bar near the bathroom at a booth whose entrails were exposed. "Cozy" I said in a voice chalked with sarcasm. The barkeep hobbled up "Can I get you boys a drink?"  "Two beers" I said. He shuffled off and I turned to my partner "so Mark why the f**k are we here? The bartender carried the beers over and stared at me for my use of profanity. He set the large mugs down hard "Will that be all?" I grabbed the glass and took a large swig, it was hard to keep down it was so damn warm. "Do guests always get the piss warm beer?" I blurted out to the barkeep who had started to walk away. He turned back to me  and pointed to an outlet visible behind the bar it had one slot and a line coming from it ran to a dishwasher "I chose warm beer over serving sandy mugs." I turned back toward Mark and the bartender walked back to the bar.  Mark reached out grabbing his mug and exposing his forearms slightly. A set of angel tattoos appeared, quiet a sight on a fellow this big. He wasn't a Christian man not even religious, in fact all over his body was religious figures and symbols, he had told me once why he had them but that was long ago and I didn't care to go into it today. He spoke with a deep raspy voice "The boss pays us well to find people, that's why we are here." He took two gulps and finished half the glass. "