Book excerpt: Prequel novel to the upcoming Netflix series, Cowboy Bebop. Discover the origins of the classic rivalry between Spike and Vicious amongst the dark underbelly of Mars, 2161! The year is 2161. The Red Dragon Crime Syndicate is king, and for all those lucky enough to be members of this crime family, life is damn good. Well, not for everyone... For two entry-level gangsters in Tharsis City, Mars, life in the Syndicate isn’t quite all guns and glamour. That’s right. Long before they were mortal enemies, Spike Spiegel and Vicious were just two friends clawing their way up the crime ladder and trying to have a little fun while doing it. But when an opportunity to pull a job for their boss arises, it’s make or break time. Literally. All they have to do is deliver a suitcase. How hard could it be? You ready for some history tellin'...space cowboy?