[ There's the bold strangling spirit. Alec smirks back, shrugging diffidently. ]

Better than being out in the sun. Who builds a town out in a place like this?

[ Idiots, is the strong implication. But then Alec thinks it over, tilting his head to one side as he looks up at the blistering blue sky. ]

Guess it makes sense as a prison. [ He muses. ] Nowhere to go except here.

[ On that cheerful note, he turns on his heel to head off for the saloon. It's only over his shoulder that he tosses off the afterthought of: ]

I'm Alec.