hm, they got out the real guns, they must mean business! I’m assuming Merle is one of the men in room 122. It was a crazy shift from Mark to Merle, without a defining word or two to let the reader know exactly who Merle is, we have to guess.

For shame Mistress Elsha Hawk. You must not have read the first ficlet. Merle Fugate IS Mark Sterling. Mark only comes to be after he straps on his guns, and dons his hat.