Confronted by Tack

Maddie's Marauders, as the group's moniker became known, headed out.

Eventually, as they headed south and west they ran into a terrible desert sandstorm. They took shelter in the tents they had pilfered.

Tack barged into Madeline's tent. Madeline's hand reflexively went to her weapon. She saw it was Tack, and relaxed.

"What's up?" Madeline asked her ever present babysitter.

"We need to talk." Tack said before securing the tent's flimsy door, trying to block whatever sand it could.

"Okay, what's this about." Madeline asked, curious but she sensed a tone out of the ordinary for Tack. His face confirmed that he wasn't here on a social call.

A wolfish grin spread across Tack's face as he looked about the tent then at Madeline.

"Its about your...How do I say this?" Tack paused to give dramatic depth to his next words "Under the table kind of activities."

"What do you mean?" Madeline said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Eddie is gonna learn about what you have been doing....maybe." Tack said as if contemplating a deep moral conundrum.

"What do you mean--'maybe?'" Madeline crossed her arms defensively.

"It would be really–really– unfortunate if Eddie were to find out about your little tryst with that ****. You know how he gets when he gets angry. And when he is jealous, he gets REAL angry."

Madeline shuddered, despite the heat as she recalled how Eddie would have some upstarts in the Powder Gangers **** then murdered when they got out of line. But Madeline had to play it cool. She knew Tack was here for something.

"Just tell me what you want Tack." Madeline said half rolling her eyes in disgust.

"You know what I want." Tack said, eying Madeline up and down his head drastically comical as he looked Madeline over like a piece of meat.

Madeline looked at Tack but didn't speak.

"I want what Eddie is getting." He smiled as he moved forward and toward her nonchalantly. "If I do...you buy my silence."

"And if I don't?" Madeline asked, her voice less firm than she would have liked. Even Tack heard her voice quiver.

"If you don't...well...Eddie might learn of some things you may not want him to know."

Madeline considered her options.

Tack might be full of shit. He might not say anything to even upset Eddie....but he might.

Or Madeline could buy Tack's silence, at a price.