Misfire

Gunsmith Cats Volume 2: Misfire
Misfire is the second volume of the nine-part series, introduces two more main characters: Ken Takizawa, and Gray.

Synopsis
Taking place shortly after the events of "Bonnie and Clyde", Rally Vincent is back at work as a bounty hunter. The story opens with her in a gunfight against a man holding a woman for cover. He blindly fires at Rally, whom is forced to take cover behind a '69 Firebird, giving enough time for the crook to commandeer a T-Bird and drive away. She tries to make a long-range shot with her Sig P210 (She lost her CZ-75 in the previous volume), but is apprehended by the Chicago PD. When arriving at the station, Detective Coleman pokes fun at her for not catching a petty criminal. Rally claims that it's his fault for not trading her any CZ-75s that they confiscate. Roy says they haven't gotten any, and asks why she would want a "Czech Clunker" anyways.

Rally takes Roy to the shooting range to show him how the CZ-75 is superior to the P210. Rally fires the P210; even though it was shooting great, she claimed that the CZ-75 would shoot way better because of the grip. Roy is skeptical, so Rally has him hold the CZ frame and the P210. Roy is surprised when he finds out how great the grip is. Rally then has him field strip his Colt Gov't, and tap the slide on the frame. Then, she has him do it to the CZ. Roy is flabbergasted that the CZ sounds like glass being tapped together. Rally notes that the CZ has the hardest steel ever to be manufactured into a pistol. Rally says that she thinks that the CZ-75 is the pinnacle in handgun evolution. She notes that later, CZ began produce the pistol more cheaply, and that the quality dropped so the original 75 is the real one.

After leaving the police station, she is offered a ride by a lawyer named Mr. Scott, which she accepts. During the ride, Mr. Scott and Rally engage in some gun talk, which ends with Mr. Scott asking to see her Sig. Rally hands him the pistol, and he inspects it before threatening Rally to drop her backup weapons. Mr. Scott tells her that the man that escaped from Rally took his daughter hostage, and the only way to get her back is to dump her at a certain location. Rally complies and she is dumped at the location. Mr. Scott calls Buskie to let him know that he did as he was told, and that he wants to talk to her. Buskie gives the phone to Scott's daughter, and she begs for her father's help. A pistol is heard racking over the phone, and Mr. Scott's daughter is shot in the head.

Rally is walking when she is approached by a crook with an RG14 .22 revolver. Rally quickly turns around and knocks the mugger out, taking the RG14 in the process. Buskie leaves the secluded to go after Rally. She runs to cover and realizes that with such a terrible pistol, she'll need to be within 10 yards in order to shoot Buskie. Rally takes out all but one of the shells, takes the bullet off all of them, and scatters the gunpowder on the street. She then scrapes matchstick fuel onto the ground as well. She then runs to cover behind a fire hydrant, just before Buskie rounds the corner. Buskie fires at Rally, slowly getting closer to her. When he gets close enough, she darts from cover and ignites the match fuel/gunpowder, distracting Buskie long enough for Rally to shoot him in the head. When he falls, she realizes that he was carrying a CZ-75, and retrieves it.

The next chapter opens with two bomb technicians trying to disarm a car bomb. One of them state that he's seen a setup like this before, and that it's a bomb made by a "Ken Taki". Something goes wrong when they are disarming it, and the bomb detonates, causing a level on a parking garage to be destroyed. The story cuts to May getting dressesd, and waking up Rally to let her know that she's leaving to go on a date.

Meanwhile, Roy and other Chicago detectives are reviewing the bomb defusing tapes. They are talking about the bomb expert Ken Taki. They discuss how they are supposed to find him since he's the only lead in the case, and that they have no evidence that can be used to find him.

Back at Ken's hotel room, things are getting hot and heavy until Ken confesses that he knows about May's prostituting past. May breaks down and explains her situation, saying that the mob was after her, and that the whorehouse kept her safe. Ken forgives her, and they engage in intercourse anyways.

Back at Rally's house, she's watering the garden when she spots a Datsun 280z. Everything seems fine until she sees the silhouette inside, who appears to be Bonnie's former getaway driver.

Roy and a fellow detective are leaving an apartment, still investigating the Ken Taki case. The woman looks through the window, and tells Gray that they left. The woman berates Gray for staying at her house, explaining that she's getting out of the syndicate and settling down. Gray tells her that last time they did the same thing, the police found the bomb and didn't receive the money. And that this time they'll detonate every bomb until they get the payment. She berates him for using the same bomb technician and dragging her into it. Gray threatens to kill her boyfriend, and says they need to leave because the delivery driver will be at the site at any minute.

Back at Ken's hotel room, Ken explains to May that he needs to disarm the bomb he made, because he is unable to due to his Multiple Sclerosis. He tells her that he's getting out of the crime syndicate, but if he makes a dud or just leaves, he'll be assassinated. He tells her that she's the only one that is capable, and that if she does, the syndicate will think that the police can defuse his bombs, and simply stop hiring him. May happily accepts on the condition that Ken can live in Chicago and move in together.

Ken shows her the model of the bomb, and shows her how it works, along with how to keep it from setting it off. May asks that, even if they know how to defuse the bomb, where the bomb even is. Ken answers that he knows where the car is, and that the car has Michigan plates. Saying that they have 26 hours until detonation, Ken tells her to get to work.

Meanwhile, Gray pays the delivery driver in the 280z $40,000 for delivering what the driver thinks is 100 Kg of cocaine, which is actually the bomb.

After defusing the model, Ken and May drive to the parking garage where the car bomb is located. Rally calls May to let her know that she saw Bonnie's getaway driver, and tells her the Michigan license plate number.

Gray gets a phone call that they lost track of Ken, and that he could be trying to go straight. Gray decides to try and find Ken and terminate him. The delivery driver is getting his Corvette Stingray back when he is told of the terrorist plot that is supposed to happen at the same parking garage he just delivered. He realizes that he actually delivered the bomb, and speeds off back to the parking garage.

Ken and May are having a hard time finding the car. May asks if he knows any other information. Ken says that all he knows is that the driver is a professional delivery driver. May has a sudden realization, and tells Ken to find a Datsun 280z with Michigan plates. They find the car, pick the trunks lock, and prepare to defuse the bomb.

Rally meets up with Becky to find out where May is. They are discussing when Rally spots a Stingray with a rare LS7 motor. She then realizes that the car belongs to the delivery driver.

Ken and May are working on the bomb when Ken is grazed across the arm by Gray's suppressed Mac-11 machine pistol. Gray orders Ken to reset the bomb, or he and May will be killed. The delivery driver interrupts, telling Gray that he owes him $100,000 for lying about the cargo he was hired to carry. Gray fires a generous burst from his Mac-11, most of the 9mm rounds hit his stomach, and two in the hand/arm. All but one of the rounds are absorbed by his bulletproof jacket and gloves. Gray then hits him with the Mac, breaking off the suppressor. The driver then roundhouse kicks Gray in the side of the head, launching him onto a nearby car. Rally interrupts the fight, pointing a 10-gauge at the driver's head. Ken unholsters his handgun and fires upon Gray, where he is hit in the shoulder twice. Gray reacts by elbowing the car behind him, making a domino effect of cars colliding until it reaches the Datsun. One of the alligator clips come loose, giving the bomb five minutes until detonation. Gray tries to stab the driver, but Rally reacts by blowing his hand off, and putting a sizable hole in his stomach. The driver leaves (against Rally's orders), and Ken and May defuse the bomb with 4 seconds to spare. They turn around to see that Gray has escaped.

Ken writes a letter to May, explaining he has to leave again since Gray will be after him, and that he'll probably never come back, wishing May goodbye.

Rally takes May to a bar before opening (an arrangement that she made with the owner since they're both underage) to cheer May up after having Ken leave her. Rally wants May to forget that "old man" (Ken is 35), and May is quite angry with her. The have a loud fight in the bar, and May storms out. Rally leaves to go home, but her Shelby Mustang was disabled by a bomb May planted on the engine. Rally makes her way home, and tries to sleep, but is awakened by a possible burglary. She opens her gun cabinet and selects a Browning Hi-Power. She comes out of the room and shoots the first burglar in both shoulders and the leg. The other peeks out of the doorway, having half of his body exposed. The second burglar has an M60 in his right hand (other side of the doorway) and shoots through the wall, chopping up the railing. Rally took cover back in the bedroom, lying down. The driver waiting outside calls the robber to tell him to hurry before the police arrive. Before Rally can get a shot off, May returns inebriated and the robber grabs her for a hostage. May is able to engage one of her grenades. The robber lets go of May and runs to their 1949 Ford F100. The grenade rolls under the truck and detonates, throwing confetti everywhere. Before the robbers can react, Rally fires four rounds from the Hi-Power. This disarms the robber of his M60 and hits his arm, the last shot blows the thumb off the driver holding a sawn-off double barreled shotgun. The two robbers get away, leaving the first one behind. May counts down, and the truck is disabled in an explosion. After taking care of the robbers, May and Rally forgive each other and make up.