The North District Bandits: Bonnie "Ma" Baker

"Wow," said Sarah. "That was his capture."1

"Yes," replied the old man. "Alvin had been staking out that bank for a week. The truth is it wasn't a trap but bad luck for Dillinger. Or good for Alvin, depending on your viewpoint. Or should I say great luck for him; he had nabbed Bonnie Ma in a similar sting earlier that day."2

"Legend has it they met in an old South End holding cell."3

"Yes. Bonnie had been cooling her heels in there for the whole afternoon. But after Alvin nabbed Dillinger he decided to, rather than cart them off to Jeuvey, call a press conference. He had captured two prolific bandits in a single day, he wanted to show them how great a job he was doing."4

"Trophies," said Sarah, off. "He wanted to show off his trophies."5

"Precisely," he said, putting a finger on his nose. "He wanted pictures. Lots of pictures of Dillinger and Bonnie. And boy, did he get them..."6

**7

Bonnie "Ma" Baker adjusted her cotton dress then the hair-bun at the back of her head. Ma, she smirked, leaning on the table. The Press gave that one to her because she was a year older than the rest. She didn't mind the moniker, some of these guys hated theirs and she didn't understand why. It was only a stupid name. 8

She looked out the barred window. Guards were stationed, reporters were gathering. A press conference, she snorted, that Alvin was addicted to the camera.9

The morning heist couldn't of gone more wrong. G-Kids came out of nowhere, her whole gang went down in a hail of paint-balls save for her and Creepy Face Kyle. Slippery son of a gun, he was, he managed to get away. He always got away.10

Bonnie wasn't so lucky, she tripped on that darned dress of her's...11

Outside the reporters talked amongst themselves.12

Bonnie Ma's cold eyes stared across the room. With no thought of the future she awaited her fate.13

**14

One hour later the door swung open, Alvin Parsons threw Kid Dillinger into the cell. She watched him land in a heap. He didn't move for a moment, then he picked himself up, his smirk the smirk that can never be wiped off that face.15

"A great day," he gloated. "Isn't it, Bonnie? You think so, Dillinger? This is past anything I could dream: the capture of not one, but two public enemies in the same day. This is as good as it gets! You two will make me look very good to The Press. Oh so very good." He adjusted his fedora hat. "After we're done it off to Jeuvey for you."16

He slammed the door behind.17

A moment as the two great bandits sized the other up.18

Kid Dillinger, she noted, was cute. Not a Handsome Boy MacRoy, but nice on the eyes. A very welcome event. And his eyes... they were shifting back and forth, he was already cooking up a plan. He was the craftiest of the criminals and he knew it. He placed his hat on his head with that cocky smirk...19

"You must be the great Kid Dillinger," she said at last.20

He took her hand and kissed it. Bonnie didn't react. He had heard she was ice-girl, there was no swaying her with smooth talk or flowers. Practical and down to earth, too, she dressed modest and wore no makeup. This was no frilly flapper, this was a girl with brains and a lust for money with an itchy trigger finger. Perhaps, he thought, his kind of girl...21

"Bonnie Ma Baker," he said then bowed. "Pleasure to finally meet you. I always admired your heists; quick, clean, efficient."22

"Your charms," she said, looking off, "won't serve you well when you're before a firing squad, Dillinger."23

"What happened to that partner of yours?" he asked, brushing his suit. "Before you went solo. What was his name again-?"24

"Dead to The Game," she answered coldly. "As, I fear, we will be in short time as well."25

"Oh," he smirked, "let's see what we can do about that."26

"What?" she asked, now smirking herself, watching his eyes dart about the room. He walked to the window, rubbing his chin, noting the reporters outside. "I can see you have something in mind."27

"Watch," he said then winked. He walked to the door than banged several times. "Hey! Open up!"28

The door opened, two G-Kids pointed guns. "What do you want, Dillinger?"29

Kid Dillinger raised his hands. "Shoe polish," he said at last.30

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at the odd request.31

"What?" asked a G-Kid, incredulous.32

"You heard me," he said, pointing to his shoes then Bonnie's's boots. "Shoe polish."33

"What about shoe polish?"34

"Why," he smirked, eyes shifting, "our shoes are dirty. We all know Alvin won't allow his prizes to go before The Press with dirty shoes now. He won't settle for anything less than perfect, much less an event of this magnitude."35

The G-Kids looked at each other. After a moment the nodded in agreement. "You have a point, Dillinger. Alvin spends 20 minutes combing his hair before a conference. You'll get your shoe polish."36

The door slammed. Kid Dillinger smirked.37

"And your point to all this is?" she asked. "That we have shiny shoes for our upcoming photo shoot?38

He shook his head and pointed to her chair. He formed his fingers into a mock gat then pointed at her. "Pow," he said, smiling.39

Pow. Shoe polish. Bonnie's head fell back in realization. "Aah. Cute. This is why they call you the cleverest of the bandits."40

The door swung open, a G-Kid handed Kid Dillinger his shoe polish.41

This time they both smirked.42

**43

"Wow wow," said Sarah. "They fashioned fake paint-gats from wood and shoe polish. This is clever. Better. Genius. One of the guns is housed in the North District Kid Museum."44

"The other is in that box," said the old man. "The one Bonnie used."45

"So... they busted out then?"46

"It's never that simple. It was a clever idea, yes, but they still had a long way to go. First, Alvin brought in the reporters and had hundreds of pictures taken. Footage too, it's also in the box. At this point things had turned into a circus."47

Sarah held up a picture. "This one is the one that circulated throughout the press. Alvin flanked by Kid Dillinger and Bonnie Ma, each leaning on his shoulder." She studied it for a moment. "Him with that cocky smirk and her with those cold eyes, both looking off to somewhere else. Like they had a plan."48

"As you well know," he said, smiling. "they did have a plan. And look at their shoes."49

"Nice and polished," she noted. "Wow and wow. I never would've thought. This is wonderful. Go on."50

**51

The door slapped open, two G-Kids entered. "Bonnie. Dillinger. The circus is over, time to go. It's off to Jeuvey for you two!"52

Bonnie and Dillinger stood and looked at their Tommy Paint Guns, pointed a the ground. They looked at each other and smiled. This was the lucky break they were hoping for. The time to act was now.53

They raised their makeshift weapons, the guards froze.54

"Don't move!" screamed Bonnie, moving closer. "I'm looking for an excuse to fill you full of paint!"55

"I wouldn't mess with her," he said, smirking. "Nobody messes with Bonnie Ma Baker and lives to tell about it."56

The G-Kids looked at each other then their guns, still pointed down. They thought a moment to aim and fire...57

...but decided against it.58

"Darn right," she hissed, taking their guns. "I've done it before and I'll do it again." She threw one to Dillinger.59

"On the floor!" barked Kid Dillinger as he peeked around the corner...60

The hall was empty.61

"Get a load of this," he said. "The rest are outside."62

They snorted as they walked out, locking the door with two G-Kids inside.63

"This way," said Bonnie, stopping Dillinger. "I know a side door. Over there. I went to this school." She led the way then added: "When I attended school."64

"Crime is much for fun," he replied.65

"Is it?" she replied, without turning around.66

He didn't answer.67

**68

Cameras flashed, Alvin Parsons smiled his toothy smile.69

"Mister Parsons," said a reporter.70

"Alvin. Please. Call me Alvin."71

"So, Alvin," the reporter went on, "you claimed you planned the capture of Bonnie Ma Baker and Kid Dillinger? But they maintain they were taken by luck. What have you to say to this?"72

"Oh," he said, adjusting his tie, "luck defiantly plays a part. For both them and us. But we still had to be there, it was my calculations that pegged the most likely banks to get hit. And I may note," he said smirking and raising a finger, "they have to get lucky every heist. We only have to get lucky once."73

The crowd chuckled, Alvin beamed. The perfect thing to say. He was in his prime, this was a moment that could never be taken away from him...74

"So where are they-?" asked a reporter. "They're supposed to be transported to Jeuvey..."75

Alvin cleared his throat then looked around. The escort wasn't there. He cleared his throat again and looked down the empty hall. They were supposed to be marching them across the yard by now. Where were they..?76

The alarm went off, everybody looked around.77

"Over there-" shouted a reporter.78

Alvin could see Bonnie and Dillinger opening Superintendent Edgar's car doors...79

Paint-balls and BB's flew, cameras flashed...80

"No," hissed Alvin. "No! This can't be-"81

Reporters turned, cameras flashed...82

Alvin Parsons watched, dumbfounded, as Bonnie Ma and Kid Dillinger fled the yard...83

"Alvin," said a gruff voice from behind.84

He jolted then turned. Before him stood none other than Superintendent Edgar. He slapped his hat then placed it on his balding head. His fierce eyes scanned the scene, his jowls lagging with each head turn.85

"Alvin," he repeated softly. "What happened to my car-?"86

Alvin's face went white as he turned back to the still flashing cameras...87

**88

Paint-balls splatted the back window. Kid Dillinger swerved then hit the gas. They weren't out of this yet. Not yet, not by a mile.89

He smirked.90

"Don't let up on the gas," screamed Bonnie as she opened the door. She hung out then loosed a volley of paint-balls. The car swerved, she was nearly thrown... but she held. She fired again, screaming...91

"Careful," he said, trying to keep the car on the road. "Bonnie-!"92

Bonnie fired again...93

The windshield of the car nearest splatted with paint. Blinded, the car faltered then swerved into a ditch...94

Four more cars collided...95

Kid Dillinger looked in the rear view mirror, smirking at the smoking pile-up, fading to the distance...96

Bonnie slammed the door, laughing hysterically. She turned to him. They held hands then kissed.97

"You're a little nuts," he said, impressed.98

"Takes one to know one," she countered then kissed him again. "I mean, busting out of prison with wood and shoe polish? Who thinks of these things?"99

"I do," he said, matter-of-factly. There was a pair of sunglasses on the seat he hadn't noticed before. He placed them on his nose. "I do. And I can see, you're my kind of girl."100

"You're my kind of boy," she said, reloading her gun. "I can see many a bank job in the future with you!"101

"I was thinking," he said, smirking, "about a change in M.O. J.J Olsen's son is in town. How does a good old fashioned kidnapping sound to you? You and me, the gang of two?"102

She looked at him then grinned.103

They sped across the district border.