بخش 09

That’s interesting.

l do apologise for the shoes, Mr Rango, but there’s a certain protocol to this game, you understand.

l’m a bit of a stickler for protocol.

Well, that’s good, ‘cause you got a few questions to answer and I’ve got my own protocol.

But why would anyone dump water in the blooming desert?

It does seem a bit naive, taking the word of admitted bank robbers.

Besides, once they hang, your job is done.

Bravo!

Job well done.

But what if somebody did rob the bank before they got there?

And who would do that, Mr Rango?

l was hoping you could tell me.

That sounds marginally near to an accusation.

Take it any way you like.

Something you said keeps rattling around in my frontal lobe.

What’s that?

Control the water and you control everything.

Come now, Mr Rango.

You attribute divine power to me.

How on earth could l possibly control the water?

You’ve obviously mastered this game.

Well, I’ve been playing it for many years, sir.

l was here before the highway split this great valley.

l watched the march of progress, and l learned a thing or two.

Perhaps it’s time you started to take the long view, begin to appreciate the broad sweep of history.

Look out there, son.

You can almost see time passing.

What are you building out here?

The future, Mr. Rango, the future.

One day soon, all this is going to fade into myth, the frontier town, the lawman, the gunslinger.

There’s just no place for them any more.

We’re civilized now.

That’s right, civilized.

That’s what the future holds.

You can either be part of it, or you can be left behind.

Is that what happened to Mr. Merrimack?

Did he get left behind?

Careful, Mr. Rango.

You seem to forget you’re just one little lizard.

You seem to forget l’m the law around these parts.

Our new sheriff has been playing the hero for so long, he’s actually starting to believe it.

Call in Rattlesnake Jake.

But Jake’s the Grim Reaper.

He never leaves without taking a blooming soul.

Do it!

Now be still.

You gotta look presentable to meet your maker.

Death has arrived

How will the hero survive?

The Mayor has bought up all the land in the valley, except for your ranch, Miss Beans.

That just don’t make no sense.

Without water, that land is useless.

Unless he controls the water.

Like a monkey’s bladder!

Then he could bring it back once he’s bought up all the land.

But how does he control the water?

Well, you gotta spend some time and train them.

Cause you know monkeys, when they do go, you rub their nose in it.

Sheriff, we got a problem.

Hold on, Beans.

That won’t be necessary.

Hang him till his head turns blue!

Give us them robbers!

Hold on!

Calm down, everyone!

Let me talk!

Nail them to the courthouse!

Now, calm down, everybody.

Get them out here so we can cut off their giblets!

You, too, Spoons?

They done taken that water.

They taken everything we got!

No one’s stringing anyone up.

Not while l’m sheriff.

But this is all his fault!

You said you’s gonna bring the water back.

It’s just, we got no hope without that water.

We got nothing left to believe in.

You see that sign up there?

As long as that sign says Sheriff, you can believe that there’s law and order in this town.

But without law and order, ruminate on that.

Oh, yeah.

Starts out slow, like a fungus.

Somebody says a cross word.

Accusations start flying.

Neighbour turns on neighbour.

Pretty soon, we’re eating our children!

And then dogs and cats are getting together to create all sorts of unnatural mutant aberrations!

So, you want something to believe in, Spoons?

Believe in me.

Believe in that there sign.

For as long as it hangs there, we got hope.

Hello, brother.

Thirsty?

Long time, brother.

How you been keeping?

Well, you know.

l hear you been telling about how you killed all them Jenkins brothers.

With one bullet, wasn’t it?

Isn’t that right?

All these good folks here believe your little stories, don’t they?

Why, they believe you’re just a stone killer, don’t they?

Seems these folks trust you.

They think you’re gonna save their little town.

They think you’re gonna save their little souls!

But we know better, don’t we?

So why don’t you show your friends here what you’re made of?

Show them who you really are.

Why don’t you just pull your gun and shoot me?

But, of course, you won’t need all these.

Just one, right?

Go ahead, hero.

Pull the trigger.

You got killer in your eyes, son?

l don’t see it.

You didn’t do any of them things you said, did you?

You didn’t kill them Jenkins brothers.

You ain’t even from the West!

Are you?

Say it!

No.

Speak up.

l don’t think your friends here heard you.

No.

All you’ve done is lie to these good people.

You ain’t nothing but a fake and a coward.

Isn’t that right?

Yes.

Louder!

Yes.

Listen close, you pathetic fraud.

This is my town now.

If l ever see you again, l will take your soul straight down to hell!

Who are you?