The town resembled pictures he had seen beyond the Perimeter inside a broken-down, abandoned, Texan-themed diner he had seen with Chuck and his friends. The town consisted of a long series of small-town buildings that were swarming with people dressed in cowboy attire. Many of the men wore long-brimmed cowboys hats along with fur clothes and leather cowboy boots. Others wore fringe jackets, suits with bowler hats and many other clothes that Michael had never seen in his life. The air smelled of gasoline and manure since the streets were full of horses or vehicles that were adorned with unique designs. Michael noticed some of the more sturdy and fashionable looking horses had horse shoes which looked technological. He had a feeling it had more to do with fashion. He found the name of the town on a faded-out sign particularly amusing. It was called Copper Queen which Willy explained was because of the copper mines that were next to the town but had run out.
The buildings in the town had once been part of a modern city but because of the dust storms and the freak weather changes that had been caused by climate changes, most of the state had been buried underneath. The buildings that Michael saw were not small at all but were the top of buildings buried underneath the earth. Some people, known as 'Looters', had made a business out of finding ways to get underneath the buildings underneath and bring valuables with them above to sell. It was a very dangerous job and was attempted by only the bravest who sought money or adventure.
Michael could sense fear among the people that he saw. Their expressions foretold that they there was some great danger hanging among them. He wondered if it was because of the incident that had occurred at the Crossroads. They were at one point even stopped by deputies of the sheriff but one look at Wilson at the back, and they allowed them to pass. The driver who had found them seemed to be pleased by his presence.
The buggy paved its way past the buildings and Michael read the signs that were hung from them: Salty Sam's Saloon, Bootleg Ben's Gunsmith, Hotel, Tailor, Cinema. There was also construction for a huge project going on through the town which looked almost in contrast to the mostly drab and dusty buildings. Wilson explained to Michael that it was a metro system being built around the towns by Billy. Michael was lost in awe for a second. The place looked so different from the city he had been in and had never thought that such a place would exist beyond the forsaken desert. He wondered what other places must be out there in the world.
The buggy stopped in front of the sheriff's office and Willy led the way inside. A man sat on a chair inside with his legs on the table and his chair leaning behind him. He had placed a hat on his face as he snored away. A gold star badge was pinned to the front of his shirt which glinted in the light of the early dawn.
"Bill," Wilson called the sheriff's name. "Bill. Bill!" The sheriff continued snoring away.
"BILL!" shouted Wilson smacking the table with his fist. The sheriff jerked awake and the chair beneath him immediately slipped ahead and he fell down hard on his back. He shuffled to his feet groaning.
"Now what's the big idea, Willy?!" he complained grabbing the small of his back. "It's fucking six in the morning, even lawmen need sleep y'know?" The sheriff then realized the condition Wilson was in and his face was filled with concern. He gave Michael a quick suspicious look.
"You look like you've been running around in muck, Willy."
"Har, har," said Willy sarcastically sitting down in a chair. "Give us water… and food if you've got some."
"What the hell happened to ya, Will?" said the sheriff as he grabbed a jug of water in the back and some dry cornbread. Michael and Willy attacked them ravenously.
"I was robbed, Bill," answered Will between bouts of eating. "Fucking robbed and then tied and left to die in the mines. If it weren't for this kid here, I woulda died."
Bill turned to Michael and gave him the same suspicious stare that a lot of people had tended to give him ever since he had gained consciousness. "You don't seem to be from around here, pal. What were you doing there in the mines? Running away?"
Michael gulped. He had no idea what to say but Willy cut in. "I don't care if the kid stole a bank. He saved my life and I owe him big time. So, don't question him. Look at him for god's sake, the kid doesn't even look like he could hurt a fly."
Oh, if only you knew, thought Michael to himself.
"Well, I don't like welcoming criminals from other places right here. The law in the Freeland is tough enough to handle anyways."
"Don't you worry, Bill. I can vouch for this kid."
Michael hungrily downed more water and cornbread as the businessman told him in detail about all that happened and the sheriff listened intently.
"You really think it's Cole that did it?" asked the sheriff after he was done.
"Who else would want my business to go down in the dumps?" demanded Willy. "He is the one who sent those men to get my caravan."
"Calm down, Willy. Look I ain't saying you're wrong but I can't do anything without proof." "But-"
"Now, now, Willy. I'll assign some of my deputies to investigate the problem. I've already got my hands full with the new respawner that's out on the run. Ol' Billy himself came down to this office scaring the life outta me with his lightnin'."
Michael gulped and looked down at the floor. So, they're still on the hunt for me. He wondered if they knew what he looked like.
"New respawner? But he was spotted all the way at the Nazis," said Wilson in surprise.
"Oh, he's come all the way here, alright," said the sheriff with a grim expression. "Folk are scared outta their wits especially with all the news about him killing the respawner at the Peak City. Folk saw the lightning too at the Crossroads. Ol' Billy himself came down to my office and demanded my men be on high alert. I've got them doing double shifts."
"Sounds like Billy's taking it seriously," commented Wilson. His anger had subsided and was replaced by fear.
"Yes, he's already got a bunch of prisoners who were alongside the respawner allegedly. He's got them under tight security at the prison. None of it makes sense to me though." The sheriff lowered his voice into a whisper and said looking to his sides, "But all I know is that, between you and me, he's scared. The Nazis and Soviets did not frighten him but this does."
Wilson leaned back in his chair and Michael could see he was digesting the new news. His expression looked worried.
"You go on home and get yourself some much needed rest," said the sheriff. "That kid looks like he's in bad shape too. We'll discuss this later. I'll contact you if we find something."
The man who had drove them here stood leaning against his buggy when they exited. "Now, when am I getting my money?"
"It's at my homestead," said Willy. "Drive us there and I'll give you triple the reward."
The man shrugged and gestured them to enter inside the buggy. Willy gave the driver directions to the homestead and they were on their way.
Michael watched intently as they got deeper into the town and saw more buildings consisting of banks, churches, marketplaces and residences. The buggy exited the town and drove through a path on a huge patch of desert. Michael saw flat, dry lands which were dotted around with cacti and other desert plants that he did not know the name of. Near a small patch of grass to the right he saw thin, scraggly oxen grazing with a herdsman who looked to be starving as much as them.