So...let's say, just hypothetically here...you find out you have a bounty on your head. Maybe you pissed off the wrong crime lord or maybe you've been a thorn in the side of some shady business mogul or corrupt politician. Or maybe some billionaire has taken a liking to you but you've thus far rejected all their "advances." At this point it doesn't matter really because, as you're about to find out, the mercenary sent to "retrieve" you is none other than Alice Hearts, A.K.A. "The Merc in High Heels."

So, in this purely hypothetical scenario...what are your options? Surround yourself with paramilitary armed guards? Good luck finding any who would be stupid enough to get between Alice and her target. Literally every "bodyguard/goon/law-enforcer" who happened to be in her path has found themselves choked out, smothered to death, dismembered with her violet lightsaber (which she only uses when absolutely necessary, since she prefers stealth." A few "lucky" ones may find themselves bound and gagged alongside her "target" to be sold off at an underground market to make up for the time and effort you made her waste getting to you.

You could, say...hide in a bunker or a safe-house. Yeah no. That aforementioned lightsaber can slice through blast doors designed to withstand nuclear blasts and she has access to intel and GPS tracking on pretty much everyone, so again, all you'll get for your trouble is a big hole in your thick metal walls right before she catches you. Hiding in space or at the bottom of the ocean won't buy you much more time either as she has access some of the most advanced spacecraft and submersible tech in the world and is a top-notch pilot and diver.

Alright, so let's say you're the "negotiating" type. Maybe you have a lot of money and think you've got the bartering skills to buy your freedom. Fat chance. Alice's "mercenary code" takes absolute precedent. Once she signs off on a job, no amount of bribing will convince her to back out of a contract. It would look really bad for her reputation, and she has standards to uphold.

Okay, so maybe you think you're some hot stuff, that you're a wicked marksman, a champion fighter or you have an arsenal of weapons at your disposal sitting on racks that you've just been itching to use. Hold up there, cowboy...this is no ordinary thug you're dealing with. The Merc in High Heels isn't called "the best in the bizz" for nothing. See that lightsaber? That's not just some toy or trophy she bought of the underground market...it's the real deal...as was she. She may have abandoned the Jedi ways a looong time ago but she still has all the skills of a Grey Jedi Master AND has picked up quite a few Mandalorian skills along the way too. Perhaps her most impressive ability is something she shares with her "twin brother," Ace Spade; "Bullet-time-mode." Much like an Agent in The Matrix, you could empty an entire clip of just about any firearm; be it a machine gun that fires bullets or a blaster that shoots energy bolts; and hit nothing but the wall behind her. Even if you miraculously DO get in a lucky shot, then congratulations, you've just made her slightly more annoyed with you. See that purple catsuit/body glove under her outfit? That's not just for style; it's made of an ultra-durable-but-stretchy carbon-nano-fiber material that's completely bulletproof, fireproof, stab-proof, laser-resistant and is impervious to even the most corrosive chemicals. The jacket and skirt also have composite nano-fiber weaves for extra protection.

Alright, so what? Maybe you're a Legendary/Mythical/Demigod who has lived for centuries and moved continents with your mind. Well, you won't be the first she's caught. If anything that just makes it more fun for her; she likes high-profile targets. Keeps her skills sharp, plus you'll probably earn her a lot more than her usual price.

Well then...you can't hide from her, you can't bargain from her, FIGHTING her would be utterly insane...so what's left? Well...maybe you're the "compassionate" type. Perhaps you think you can break through her "mental armour" and speak to her "inner Pokémanity." Maybe you could beg and plead, tell her you have a family, ask her what her own might think of her "occupation." Or maybe you're just a charmer and you think you've got what it takes to sweep her off her feet.

PFFFFFFTHAAAHAHAHAHAAAH no. Best you could hope for is a little "story" as she bags you up about how "once upon a time things like family and friendship had meaning to her...but as time went on attachments just got in the way of her work, so she cut them all off...and some even ended up as her first bounties." At this point you might want to scream at her for being a monster...but by this point she's already thoroughly gagged you so the best you could muster and angry muffled grunts.

So...just for the sake of argument...you've thought of all of these options, taken every scenario into consideration...but no matter which way you look at it...she's here...and she's taking you to her client whether you like it or not. So...what ARE your options, really?

Luckily for you, she'll lay them out for you, as she typically does. You can go with her quietly and relatively comfortably...or very, VERY uncomfortably. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

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(Been a while since I've drawn Alice Hearts herself fully in-frame, and even longer since I've depicted her wielding her purple lightsaber [the keen-eyed of you may notice it's the very same hilt design as the one I had a working replica of commissioned by Spade Sabers, review video here: https://youtu.be/jx9zx0Nr3Bw)

And for those wondering, yes, the "Alice Hearts Bounty commissions" are still open. https://www.weasyl.com/~unownace/submissions/1888430/alice-hearts-merc-for-hire-redraw)