Coda Smoke
Issue 58

Serving as a coda to Wylie Runs the Voodoo Down, Coda Smoke continues the flashback theme, but opens first with Lono training Loop in the ways of the Minutemen in a private gym within their prison. Lono receives a call from Shepherd, who tells Lono that he is dying. Shepherd has been shot in the chest, receiving terminal injuries. He is driving the Mercedes that he left New Orleans in, heading across the desert alone. He begins to tell Lono how he came to be in this situation.

In flashback, Shepherd, Wylie and Dizzy pull up at a gas station, Wylie quipping with Dizzy about showing her how to pump gas. Dizzy is still angry with everyone, not least herself. Shepherd explains to Wylie about Graves, the gun, Dizzy and her life heading out of control. She now knows that she is the pawn of another player in a larger game, and any control she thought she'd recovered has now been taken from her once again.

The present. Shepherd tells Lono that Augustus Medici needs a warlord. That man is Lono. Shepherd has already called Medici, who agrees with him. Lono questions this, considering his past actions against the families. Shepherd confirms his proposal, stating that Medici also wants the painting that was stolen. Lono tells him that he doesn't have it. Shepherd says Medici will just have to settle for Lono for now. Lono is still suspicious, but Shepherd reveals that this is what Lono was trained for, which is why his evil tendencies were never tamed. Lono was a loyal but lousy Minuteman, but this was by design, Shepherd seeing a talent in Lono that would aid the bigger picture. He tells Lono that he and Loop could be released that night if he just says the word.

Back at the gas station, Dizzy buys soft drinks, cigarettes and alcohol for her travelling companions and some under-age kids. Outside, Wylie is coming up to speed with everything he's missed as he 'slept'. Milo, the Bastard, is dead, and Dizzy is to replace him. The Saint and the Monster are unaccounted for. Cole, the Wolf, is with Graves. Wylie is surprised to find out that the others aren't. The Dog, Lono, wouldn't heel. Victor, the Rain, was activated first but hasn't been pulled in yet. The Saint was the only Minuteman not hidden by Shepherd, as Graves did this himself, for reasons known only to him. The only thing Shepherd needs is the word, because without it, he can't activate anybody else. Graves has kept the trigger to himself as well, which causes Shepherd to doubt Graves' plan. If Graves were to have died, the Minutemen would have stayed hidden. As Dizzy approaches from the store, Shepherd asks Wylie for the word. Wylie says it out loud, causing Dizzy to stop in her tracks and drop everything. Shepherd and Wylie carry on talking, unaware. Shepherd sees Graves' plan as fundamentally flawed. If he is trying to stop Augustus from gaining sole control of the Trust, then why does every move he makes give Medici more power?

As Dizzy's groceries hit the floor the two men turn, just as Dizzy shoots Shepherd in the chest. Wylie grabs the gun and wrestles Dizzy to the ground, but Shepherd gets in the car and takes off, amazingly still able to think about putting plans into action before he dies. Dizzy calls after him, but Shepherd is gone.

The car has now stopped. As he nears his end, Shepherd tells Lono the word, giving Lono the weapon he never had himself. Shepherd's final words to Lono are "Tell Dizzy it's not her fault..." to which Lono asks "Who in hell is Dizzy?" As Shepherd's body is pulled over by prairie wolves, Lono and Loop leave the gym.