RICKMAS 2024

The rest of the night went by in a blur. An accident on the interstate kept them busy, one of the patients needing to be airlifted to a higher level of care. Harper was good and so were the nurses, but there was only so much they could do. Joseph also chose that night to code, going to his just reward at 2:53 a.m. In the silence as the nurses began to clean up the mess of wrappers and equipment used to delay the inevitable, Harper felt a strange buoyancy in her chest. 

The last of the Moonshine King’s men was now gone. Had that been what tethered her here, a paranoia that if she left they’d drag her back one way or another? Her own parents were long gone, mom dead of a drug overdose after dad died of cancer. It’d been a lonely life, an unwanted solitude, but she’d like to think she made her parents proud despite the dark side of the mountain’s stain on her soul.

Staring at her computer but not comprehending anything it said, Harper reflected. She’s almost pulled the trigger to say fuck it all and leave when she remembered the supposed ledger. Sipping her lukewarm coffee, Harper weighed her options, eventually coming to the conclusion what was one more petty crime?

Hans Gruber sat in his room, staring out the frost-covered window at the snow-dusted mountains. He loathed the season, its forced cheerfulness grating against the sharp edges of his solitude. For years, he found comfort in isolation, in the knowledge that his plans and ambitions were his alone to orchestrate. But now, with his injuries temporarily chaining him to this place, the quiet gnawed at him.

His mind drifted to Harper. Her calm efficiency, her quiet strength. She carried her own solitude like armor, a trait he recognized and admired. Yet, unlike him, she seemed to find purpose in the space between connections. He wondered if she felt as untethered as he did in these fleeting moments of stillness.

A soft knock at his door broke his reverie.

“Still awake?” Harper’s voice came, low and warm.

Hans turned his head, offering her a faint smile. “Sleep and I have never been well acquainted.”

Harper stepped inside, discharge paperwork in hand. “You’re free to go.” She rubbed her eyes with a tired smile. “Thanks for your patience. There’s a prescription for some pain meds. And take it easy, doctor’s orders.”

“And if I don’t?” Hans teased, shrugging into his wool coat. “Does it mean I get to see you again?”

“Sure. Then your stubborn ass will most likely need surgery.”

“Noted.” Hans tilted his head, his honey colored eyes studying her with an intensity that made the air between them feel heavier. “I find myself…unexpectedly intrigued by you, Doctor. You are not the sort of person I encounter often. Practical yet compassionate. Grounded yet ambitious.” He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. “It is a rare combination.”

Harper blinked slowly, clearly caught off guard. “Are you…flirting with me?”

“I believe I am,” Hans replied sheepishly, enamored by her bluntness. “Though I confess, it is not a skill I often employ.”

She laughed softly, shaking her head. “I’m not sure whether to be flattered or suspicious.”

“Perhaps both,” he replied smoothly, his smirk growing. “Suspicion would be wise, given my reputation. But flattery…well, that is entirely warranted too.”

Harper smiled shyly as if she wasn’t used to such compliments. Perhaps she wanted to ask for clarification regarding his reputation. Good, the seed had been planted.

“Go home and rest.”

Finally at 4:00 a.m. Hans Gruber exited the hospital a free man. The chill of the night nipped at his skin as he stepped outside, his dark wool coat keeping most of of the cold at bay. Snow continued its relentless descent, muffling the world in a quiet stillness. Hans paused, his breath curling in pale clouds, and turned to the shadowy figure waiting near the curb.

“Karl,” he said, his voice soft but commanding.

The man straightened, his broad shoulders stiff under the weight of expectation.

“Boss,” Karl replied, his German accent clipped as he moved closer.

Hans tilted his head toward the hospital, his sharp gaze cutting through the dim light. “You have a job.” He paused, the words measured, almost reluctant. “Watch the doctor.”

Karl’s brow furrowed. “You want me to babysit a doctor?”

Hans’s mouth curled into a faint smirk. “Not quite. I want you to ensure she isn’t…pestered. That local officer—Brad, I believe. His attentions are unwelcome, though she’s too polite to say so outright.”

Karl’s confusion deepened, but his loyalty kept his tongue still. He nodded, glancing toward the hospital entrance. “And after that?”

Hans turned back to the car, the soft crunch of snow under his boots the only sound. “Observe her. Discreetly. I have a vested interest in ensuring her…skills remain available.”

Karl snorted, though he quickly stifled it. “You’re planning to recruit her, aren’t you?”

Hans didn’t answer immediately. He slipped into the passenger seat, the car’s interior warm and dimly lit. Theo, perched in the driver’s seat, glanced at Karl expectantly with a raised eyebrow.

“What’s the holdup?” Theo asked, his voice low and impatient. “We’ve been sitting here for hours, Hans. Let’s just get outta here before someone starts asking questions.”

Hans settled into the seat, his expression unreadable. “Patience, Theo. As we’ve established, this isn’t Los Angeles. The pace here is slower—let’s take advantage of it.”

Theo exchanged a glance with Karl, who reached over Hans for his pistol and a wad of cash. He hadn’t minded the doctor, but the last thing he wanted to do was wait in plain sight with a cop sniffing around trying to lay claim to a woman as if she were his preferred tree to piss on.

Hans settled into his seat, flipping through his discharge paperwork. The plan was simple: hide, heal, regroup. Yet, he found himself tethered to something—or rather, someone—he hadn’t anticipated. Harper Slaughter. She was an enigma, wrapped in quiet strength and practicality. She had touched his wounds with a softness he hadn’t expected, her no-nonsense demeanor masking a vulnerability he recognized. What’s more she had a less than sterile background. Perhaps it could leverage her to his cause.

Hans prided himself on his ability to read people, to strip them down to their base motivations. But Harper wasn’t so easily categorized. She stayed in this small, suffocating town, bound by duty and the weight of her past. She should have been inconsequential—a figure passing through his periphery. Instead, she lingered.

Karl and Theo would never understand his interest in her. For them, it was always about the next job, the next payday. But Hans saw the potential beyond their shortsighted goals. Harper’s medical expertise was invaluable, yes, but it was her ability to navigate the darker shades of morality that intrigued him. She could be an ally, a partner in his endeavors. And perhaps—just perhaps—her presence eased a loneliness he wouldn’t dare admit.

“You’re stalling,” Theo accused, his voice cutting through the silence. “And for what? A small-town doctor?”

Hans’s gaze flicked to Theo, sharp and unyielding. “That ‘small-town doctor,’ as you so eloquently put it, has the skills to save your life should you ever find yourself bleeding out in some godforsaken alley. Or would you prefer to roll the dice with a back-alley medic with questionable credentials?”

Theo shifted uncomfortably, muttering something under his breath. “What makes you so sure she’ll join us? She’s a fucking doctor, man. Who in their right mind would ditch that comfort to a life on the run?”

A near imperceptible amusement ghosted his features. The question was valid. Theo hadn’t been there to hear her story, neither had Karl.

“Everyone has their price, Theo. And I suspect Dr. Slaughter’s isn’t as unattainable as you might think. She craves freedom, and freedom is something I can provide.”

“Dr. Slaughter?” Theo snorted incredulously. “Yeah, that name gives me the warm and fuzzies. And freedom? Or do you mean prettier chains?”

Hans tilted his head, unbothered by the jab. “Perspective, my dear Theo.”

The conversation lapsed into tense silence. Theo tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, his impatience mounting.

“So what’s the plan?” Theo asked finally. “Sit around while Karl kidnaps the good doctor so you can woo her?”

Hans’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “No, Theo. Despite our wretched company, I remained a gentleman.”

“And a thief,” Theo grumbled, but he knew better than to argue. Once Hans had his sights on something, it’d take an act of god to dissuade him.

Karl leaned against the cold brick wall off the main entrance to the hospital, his breath fogging in the icy night air. From here he could watch the employees comings and goings. He’d been standing there for an hour, watching the slow trickle of people leaving after their shifts. Most looked tired, pulling jackets tighter as they braved the unrelenting chill.

She appeared at last, the doctor Hans was so insistent on keeping an eye on. Karl didn’t see what made her so important. Sure, she was good-looking in that understated, no-nonsense kind of way, but Hans didn’t get hung up on appearances. There had to be more.

Karl watched as Harper stepped through the sliding glass doors of the hospital, her head bowed against the cold. Her scrubs were tucked beneath a heavy coat, but even from this distance, Karl could tell she moved with purpose.

And then he showed up.

Brad.

The local cop stepped out of his cruiser hellbent on intercepting her. Karl rolled his eyes, watching Brad’s approach. He came bearing gifts, a ridiculously colored thermos in hand.

“Morning, Doc!” Brad’s voice carried across the lot, grating on Karl’s nerves. “Got you some coffee. Thought we could grab breakfast, you know, start the day off right?”

The doctor stopped, her posture tightening just slightly. Karl recognized the signs—a polite rebuff on the way.

“Thanks, Brad,” she said, her tone carefully measured. “But I’m not really up for breakfast. It’s been a long night.”

“Yeah, that wreck was gnarly,” Brad agreed, unwilling to take the hint as he stepped closer and flashing what he probably thought was a charming grin. “But you gotta eat, right? A little company wouldn’t hurt.”

Karl felt a twinge of irritation. He didn’t know the doctor (neither did Hans, really) but even from a distance, he could see her interest was in the basement. The cop either couldn’t tell or didn’t care.

“Brad, I appreciate the offer, but I’m really not interested.”

The cop wilted at her words, direct but not cruel. She didn’t soften her words to spare his ego. Karl could respect that. But people like Brad didn’t know how to accept the loss and move on.

“Come on,” Brad said, his grin faltering. “Don’t be like that.”

Karl’s jaw tightened. He didn’t need Hans’s orders to know this guy beyond deserved a beatdown. But that wouldn’t do. He considered stepping in but held back, curious to see how she’d handle it. If the doctor couldn’t handle an acquaintance, the organized criminals Hans surrounded himself would eat her alive.

“I’m not being like anything,” Harper snapped, finally at her limit. “Do you know how unprofessional it is for a cop to loiter outside a hospital waiting for someone to say yes to breakfast? This isn’t a fucking Hallmark movie, it’s stalking. Find somebody else!”

“But—”

“No, Brad. Take the hint. It’s not going to happen.”

Brad opened his mouth to argue, but Harper was already shouldering past him, her head high and her stride unbroken.

Karl couldn’t help the low chuckle that escaped him as Brad stood there, stunned and deflated. The guy looked like a kicked puppy, his grand plans for romance crushed in under a minute.

Alright, doc, I see why the boss is impressed.

Karl waited until Brad stomped off to his patrol car, muttering under his breath, before trailing Harper at a respectable distance. Why she walked home when she could more than afford a car was beyond Karl. Fortunately, she didn’t live far.

When she reached her house, Karl found a spot across the street, leaning against a tree as he lit a cigarette. He had a clear view of her living room window. She dropped her bag on the couch and shrugged out of her coat, then moved toward the kitchen.

Now came the dangerous part, getting closer. The workday had begun for all her neighbors, not a single car was parked in any of the driveways. It wasn’t long before he heard her voice, muffled but audible through the thin walls.

“Alright, Harper,” she muttered to herself, pacing back and forth. “You’ve done worse. You can do this.”

Karl raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“You just have to get in and out,” she continued, her voice growing steadier. “Grab the damn thing and walk away. It’s not rocket science. Nobody lives there anymore anyways.”

Karl frowned, leaning closer to the window. What the hell was she on about?

She stopped pacing, staring at something on the kitchen table. Karl couldn’t see what it was, but whatever it was had her attention.

“This is it,” she said quietly, almost to herself. “The last hurrah then I’m free.”

Karl took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he pieced together what he’d heard. He didn’t know what “it” was, but clearly she was planning something risky.

Sauntering away, Karl pulled his cellphone from his pocket to update Hans on this development. 

“What?” he asked, his tone casual but expectant.

Karl shook his head, smirking slightly. “Your doctor’s got some backbone, I’ll give her that. Told off that cop from last night like it was nothing.”

Hans’s lips curled into a hint of a smile. “Did she now?”

“That’s not all,” Karl continued, cutting his eyes around for any eavesdroppers. Of course there were none, but one could never be too careful, especially at this stage. “She’s planning something. Not sure what, but she was talking to herself about stealing something. Whatever it is, she’s serious about it.”

Hans’s interest sharpened, his eyes narrowing. The good Dr. Slaughter a thief? Like him? “Did she mention specifics?”

Karl shook his head. “No, but she’s definitely up to something. Seems personal.”

Hans leaned back, his fingers steepled as he digested the new information. Harper Slaughter continued to surprise him, her layers peeling back one by one. She wasn’t just competent—she was ambitious, bold.

And Hans Gruber couldn’t resist ambition. “Is she still there?”

“Yes.”

“Send me her address.”

“Wait, now she’s leaving.” Karl frowned, irritated by the fact he didn’t have a car, not even one he could steal in his immediate vicinity.

“Follow her, you fool!”

“Ja, just let me pull a motorcycle from my pocket and I’ll get right on that.”

Hans’ frustrated growl sounded. “Then stake her residence out until she returns. Theo and I are on the way.”

Harper snatched her keys before she lost her nerve. Joseph’s warning rattled her, specifically the tip off about the feds. She’d led the Moonshine King across state lines on multiple occasions, including his last stand. Maybe he’d known the jig was up and that’s why he sent her back early, a final parting gift.

Her conscious whispered there was more to lose than gain if she followed through with her plan, but Harper ignored the plea. Logic took over the argument, churning up memories of those poor recovered souls who suffered hypothermia or worse, frostbite, on ill-advised treks in the unforgiving wilderness.

But mama and daddy ain’t raised no fool. She’d spent her formative years hunting under her father’s watchful eye. It was he who taught her how to read nature, and eventually how to traverse the old smuggler trails and abandoned mines. During that time, an unusual skill became apparent: Harper had a knack for memorizing maps. Dad always kept one tucked away in his coat just in case, but it was never needed. Still, that wasn’t enough to fight the elements. 

Digging through her closet, Harper found the tote containing evidence of her previous life. Most of it was innocuous hunting gear, wool base layers, winterized hiking boots, and flannel lined insulated pants. At the bottom laid a gift from the Moonshine King himself. Despite his ruthless nature, he’d taken the newly orphaned Harper under his wing and given her a pistol, warning her to never point it at somebody unless she was willing to follow through.

After a moment’s deliberation, Harper lifted it, relieved to note it was still serviceable. And untraceable. To any onlooker, Harper looked like any other hunter, not uncommon in these parts. So focused on her task, Harper didn’t clock Karl across the street with a phone to his ear.