Oscar "Madd Tabby" Glens's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Oscar "Madd Tabby" Glens set his worn map on the table between the two groups. The Atomic Cats waited on his left. The rival salvagers watched from his right. He'd lost good people to this fight over salvage rights. They'd all lost someone. But Oscar believed peace could work better than bloodshed. He tapped the map where neutral ground lay marked in faded ink. "We meet here tomorrow," he said. "No weapons. Just talk." The next morning, Oscar climbed the rusted broadcast mast at the edge of town. He checked the antenna connections and flipped the switch. Static crackled through the speaker. "This is Madd Tabby calling all Atomic Cats and Red Rock salvagers," he said into the microphone. "Meeting starts at noon. Dead Horse Coffee Inc. Come ready to listen." Oscar arrived early at the coffee shop. The building stood solid with its mix of stone and wood. He pushed through the door and found wooden tables arranged in the back room. Perfect for sitting face to face. He dragged one table to the center and set chairs around it. The owner nodded from behind the counter. Neutral ground meant neutral witnesses. Both groups arrived on time. Oscar counted heads as they filed in and took their seats. No guns visible. Good start. He pulled out his salvage maps and spread them across the table. "We split the territory by what each crew does best," he said. "Atomic Cats take mechanical salvage. Red Rock gets building materials. We share intel on dangerous zones." He looked each person in the eye. "Or we keep killing each other over scraps." The room stayed quiet. Then the Red Rock leader leaned forward to study the maps. Oscar watched the Atomic Cats do the same. Peace had a chance.