Project Enterprise

by Pauline Baird Jones

  Didn’t seem to be an obvious candidate, when she looked around, as much as she could what with the jarring gait of the metal men rattling her teeth. At the end of town, the big courthouse cast a long shadow down the road. Churches weren’t where they’d been, looked gone in fact, and there was a big saloon where the mercantile had been. Fancy women in their bedclothes leaned on the gaudy balcony railings. No surprise it housed a bawdy house, but the fancy women weren’t usually so bold. And the men, instead of looking interested, well, they all stared at the courthouse with what she might call a fair bit of hatred at the man waiting there.

  He stood on the steps watching her and the automatons approach, clear that he thought he was a big bug. He didn’t look happy, but he didn’t look unhappy neither. He wore a suit and tie, unlike most of the men gathered about, and stooped a bit around the shoulders, kinda like a vulture, now that she considered it. Had a fine mustache, the only fine thing about him. Rest of him was downright ugly. Eyes sunk back under bushy brows, beak of a nose and thin cruel mouth. He stood, one booted foot slightly forward, one thumb stuck in a pocket, the other hand holding a timepiece. When he saw her, his brows rose like he was trying to look surprised. He tucked the watch away and smiled. It was ugly, too.

  “How prompt you are, my dear Analisse. I might almost call you an eager bride, despite,” his gaze traversed her person in a disconcerting manner, “the wardrobe adjustments.”

  Bride? She’d kinda worried she was for the gallows. Not a relief to be wrong. She might not know much, but she did know a Bad Egg when she saw him. She’d seen his ilk in their travels, though this was the first time she’d attracted the attention of one.

  “A new look for you, though please don’t take it as a complaint. It’s charmingly practical choice for your little excursion.” His voice was finer than his face, but threaded through with evil. “And I can get used to the hair until it grows back.”

  Ani blinked. Silence had served her well in the past, so she kept mum and waited. He knew her name, but she didn’t know his, a mite disconcerting. He signaled to someone, prompting a scuffle that sounded like it came from the direction of the jail, then two more automatons dragged someone—no, not someone, Roberto, into view. Was he the one they planned to hang? Was that why the automaton had fetched Angelica?

  The Bad Egg shifted slightly, gestured toward Roberto, the move graceful, but not in a pleasing way.

  “I’m not as heartless as you seem to think I am, my dear. Conclude your little flirtation and we’ll move on to the nuptials.” His expression hardened. “Unless you’d like to swing with him.”

  She might be floundering a bit on the names of the players, but she recognized the melodrama. She’d seen plenty in her travels. Eased her some to know her lines at least.

  We’re not where we were. The lights, they did something to time.

  If there was a Roberto and Angelica in this place, then could there be an Analisse, too? It seemed there had to be, because they’d certain sure never met. Even a Bad Egg needed to know a gal before trying to wed her. If the Bad Egg was the villain that must mean Roberto—she realized he looked a bit longing, a bit anguished even. Saw puzzled enter in when she looked at him. Spoke well of him that he could tell she wasn’t his Analisse. The Bad Egg could take lessons from him, but wouldn’t. Bad Eggs never did. She gave a tiny shrug, then turned back to the Bad Egg. Felt the waiting nature of the people behind her, one might even call it bated. The limelight was usually Pa’s, except for her brief bit of ailing and getting cured. Didn’t mean she didn’t know how it was done.

  “I have to thank you for your…kind…offer, sir,” his gaze narrowed, cause she might be playing to the gallery a bit, “but I must decline on account of my previous commitment to another.”

  It wasn’t a lie. She was for Chance, whether he made it to Marfa or not. The gallows made her gulp a bit, but—looking at the Bad Egg—she preferred hanging. One thing she’d learned from Pa was how long and challenging life could be with a person who didn’t give a bean what you thought about anything. At least with a hanging the pain’d be short. She hoped.

  You deserve better. This wasn’t better, but if she had it to do again? If she said no and didn’t ride into the dark after the ghost lights? If she’d known it would end like this, would she have chose different? And then she thought about how he’d looked at her, how he’d kissed her, the sound of his voice when he asked her to trust him. And she knew, not only would she do it again, she might, she just might…love him. She looked at Roberto, but saw Chance. Saw him the way she’d seen him the first time, saw him the way he’d looked that last time. If he were standing there instead of Roberto? She’d be pleased to die with him. And in a way, that’s what she’d be doing.

  Roberto opened his mouth but closed it again. What could he say? He had to know that no matter what Ani did or didn’t do, who she was or wasn’t, he was going to swing.

  Bad Eggs always went back on their word.

  The Bad Egg’s face didn’t change, in fact, he half smiled like it didn’t matter that she’d given him the muffin in front of the whole town. His eyes showed her it did, though. They chilled like the ice on a winter river. If he could have forced her, he would have. Teach him to strut his pride before the whole boodle of them.

  “So be it.” His chin jerked, and the automatons dragged them both to the gallows. A wail from Angelica, a rising murmur from the people, made the other automatons around the edges move their metal hands to rest on their guns.

  Roberto’s hands were bound, but no one thought to bind her hands. It gave her a smidgeon of hope, though she wasn’t certain what to do with it. She had a knife strapped to her leg, had started wearing it there when some border ruffians stole the one she wore at her waist. Knife wasn’t much use against all those gun-toting bad—automatons. Human hands took over from automatons. They were a mite big for the wooden structure.

  Ani reached the top, found facing the rope loop more than a mite unsettling. Looking at her audience wasn’t much better. Never been quite so much the center of attention. Tipped her head a bit. Did it seem like a breeze or something moved through. Stiffened some spines, it seemed. The Bad Egg didn’t seem to notice, as one of the fancy girls sashayed up a cooing and a billing. The Bad Egg didn’t object. Typical. Wanted his cake and to eat it. If he thought the sight would make her fractious, well, he could think again.

  Though, she considered the crowd again. A most timely distraction.

  The hangman cleared his throat, and Ani realized he was waiting for her. Guess it was the polite thing to do, ladies first and all, though it didn’t feel it. Not that she wanted to watch Roberto hang. No reason to pile on the agony.

  Hangman didn’t seem to want to look at her. Made it hard to get the rope over, so she did it for him. Rope felt rough, scraped her neck some, felt a bit streaked by it, which had a chilling effect on her spirits. The hangman stepped back to the lever that would drop the trap, his gaze on the Bad Egg. Ani lifted her chin. Only good advice she ever got from her Pa: show no fear.

  The Bad Egg started to raise a hand.

  Someone shouted and rowdy spread like greased lightning through the people. Seemed they’d been beaten down a mite to let her rip like that. Groups of folks, even the women, surrounded the automatons, taking them down with considerable enthusiasm.

  “Do it,” the Bad Man yelled over the noise.

  The hangman reached for the lever, but a shot rang out and the rope around her neck went slack. Another shot dropped the hangman across the lever. Ani didn’t have time to react, just dropped down, hit the ground hard enough to rattle her teeth. Started to tumble, but someone caught her arm, steadied her. She stared into eyes a match for hers. Took a longer look. Saw longer hair and a dress? Ani frowned. Was she wearing Chance’s coat?

  Some shouts, sounds of scuffling overhead and then Roberto dropped through, too, almost knocking both of them down. He staggered, and the other Analisse let go of Ani and wrapped her arm
s around him, near choking him to death. Didn’t look like he minded much, though he couldn’t hug her with his hands still tied.

  Ani sighed a bit, extracted her knife and cut him loose. Not a practical sort of girl. Her Pa—her thoughts kind of stalled out on that thought, but it felt odd to ask about him when they’d just met. Couldn’t be a whole lot of use if he was the sort to let this Analisse marry a Bad Egg. Besides, she had a more important question, though she hated to ask it of…herself.

  “Where’s Chance?” He had to be here. This had the feel of a Plan. Riots didn’t accidentally start, nor did hanging ropes get fortuitously severed.

  “Smith.”

  The word wasn’t shouted, though it sounded clear over the chaos. Quiet spread as fast as rowdy had. Ani dragged the noose off her head, pushed her way out from under the gallows, climbed the steps again, her gaze searching for—there he was. Standing dead center in the road and looking mighty fine, mighty tough. Ani saw the Bad Egg. He looked like he’d been about to leave, since his gang of automatons all had stuff poking out of the backs of their heads. The people parted, making a path for him toward Chance, kind of blocking his escape. She’d seen a few gunfights, enough to recognize one about to happen.

  Chance had seen Smith trying to slip away when the last of his ’tons went down. Miss Everly had done a fine job of marshaling a resistance. Seemed Smith had no friends in Marfa, not even with the scum class. There was a lesson there, though he’d need to ponder it later. Almost let him slither away. Ani was safe but a snake could grow a new skin and make a new set of people miserable.

  Guess if a guy wanted to be a hero, he had to sometimes save more than the damsel, or even two. And if he were honest, which he tried to be these days, he might get a bit of closure from taking this Smith down, even if he wasn’t the Smith who’d made his life hell for so long. Helped that he looked just like him.

  He could admit he’d felt a bit of doubt when Ani had begun her response to Smith’s “proposal.” How could he expect her to choose him over a hanging? But she did. Made a man feel proud, made him feel like he could do what was needed. Had felt something odd happen around his heart, or maybe when she put that noose over her neck. Didn’t need to tell Smith that she’d rather be dead than married to him. It was implied. Best implication he’d heard in a long while. It changed him from the inside out. If Ani didn’t doubt, then he couldn’t.

  He used a long rifle to shoot the rope, didn’t feel it was an exaggeration to call it the most important shot of his life. Now he faced the second most important shot.

  He had a feeling Smith was the best gun around.

  Didn’t matter.

  Looked into Smith’s eyes. Saw his confidence, his evil.

  That didn’t matter either.

  He felt…bulletproof.

  Chance relaxed his shoulders, loosened his stance, wriggled his fingers a bit, though it was mostly for show. He’d been ready for this for what felt like forever.

  Smith swept his coat back behind his guns, his hands out, stance alert, ready.

  Chance watched his eyes. Eyes were where a draw started.

  Dead silence in every direction except for faint creaking from one of the windmills. Then the small sound of a child quickly hushed. Felt the support from everyone around him. Didn’t need it. He planned to walk away with his woman.

  Chance didn’t blink, didn’t look away from that cold, dead gaze. Just waited.

  Saw it.

  The slight shift to the right.

  Gun was in his hand, trigger pulled before the thought traveled to his brain.

  Smith had his gun out, too. Shots must have been close cause they sounded like one and an echo.

  Something plucked at his arm. Started to sting. Ignored it. Waited.

  Smith started to smile, maybe some relief in it, then the smile faltered. He swayed for two long seconds, then fell forward onto his face. Dirt puffed into the air around him as if it wanted distance from him, too.

  He did a sweep for further threats. Didn’t see any. Smith had had no friends here. He holstered his .45 and went to get his woman, who had climbed back on the damn gallows.

  She went down a step, then another. Hit the ground and sped up a bit.

  People fell back for him, started to smile, though also a good bit of puzzled in there. Then Miss Everly and Roberto popped out from under the gallows, confusing things further. Chance didn’t mind the confusion. Just minded not having his woman in his arms.

  Ani started to run, jumped when she reached him, her arms and her legs coming around him. Good reason to keep her pants, he thought, though a bit hazily as her mouth found his. For a girl who’d been kissed once, she showed a remarkable aptitude. He spun them because he could, because he had to, because he’d defeated the bad guy and got the girl. When they both needed air, he lifted his head.

  “You got grazed,” she said, examining the slight wound.

  “I’m fine.” He looked around. “Who does the marrying around here?”

  Ani didn’t come face to face with herself again until after her wedding. And her wedding. It was a bit confusing, but at least the guys they married were different. Analisse seemed a bit fazed by it all, but then she hadn’t been in the wash and got switched out of her place. Of course, she hadn’t almost gotten hung either.

  Ani might have been intimidated by the gentry talk and pretty dress, might have wondered if Chance speculated a bit about Analisse, except for the kiss. He’d shown a proper enthusiasm for it and for the wedding to a bride with a dusty face and dressed like a boy.

  “I feel like I should thank you, but I don’t know what for,” Analisse said, maybe making an effort to sound friendly. Her Roberto showed a bit more enthusiasm and gratitude, but he had been on the gallows with her. It did focus the mind to almost swing.

  “You going to stay in Marfa?” Ani asked, looking from one to the other. It was bold of her to marry a Mexican, but he was a fine looking boy. She glanced up at Chance, her Chance. He made Roberto seem small and young, though they were of a height. Still got a thrill remembering how coolly he’d faced down the Bad Egg, though she did intend to speak to him about putting their wedding in jeopardy twice in one day. Didn’t want him to make a habit of it.

  “We will see how it goes,” Analisse said, after exchanging a look with her husband. Angelica hovered close, glowing with relief and joy.

  Ani had to resist the urge to try to chat to her. She wasn’t this Angelica’s friend.

  As if Chance heard or felt her uncertainty, he said, “We should go.”

  “You could stay,” Analisse said, though with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm. Both them looked relieved when Chance shook his head.

  “We could use a ride back to where you found me,” Chance said.

  Ani loved the airship ride and she and Analisse compared family notes, more relaxed now that they knew they weren’t going to be living side by side. Didn’t meet that Pa, tied up in the engine room. Didn’t want to. Bit of a shock to find out Pa had lied, that it was Ma that was gentry and Pa a gentlemen’s gentleman. Though not a total shock. He’d always had an uneasy relationship with the truth.

  They reached the wash at dusk, helped along by the never-ending wind. Bit of a surprise to find Chance’s mount still there, more of shock to find Delphine there, too. Seems she’d formed a bit of a bond with her husband’s stallion.

  Her husband.

  She was married. Thankfully neither Analisse nor Roberto seemed inclined to draw out the leave taking. It was their wedding night, too. Ani did pause to wonder if Analisse knew what that meant, be nice to know, though Chance would most likely explain. They finally chugged away, the sound fading into the soft moan of the wind and the snuffle and stamp of the horses. Ani looked around the darkening wash, maybe felt a bit of unease, considering what happened the last time they were here.

  Chance took her hand, led her to a rock big enough for them to sit side by side. A seat was nice, but she’d been hoping for a k
iss. Didn’t quite know how to ask for it, though.

  “We could try to stay here in this reality, but most likely it won’t work, because there’s already a version of you here. Time has a way of setting things right, so thought we’d sit a spell and see if the lights come back tonight, see if they’ll shift us back to your time. Or,” he hesitated, “a different time than this. I can’t promise we’d get home. No way to know for sure where we’d go. In my experience, it’s pretty random.”

  In his experience.

  “You’ve done it before.”

  He nodded. “I’m not from this time, or your time, so it’s you that time will shift, taking me along for the ride.”

  “Where are you from?”

  He hesitated. “From the future. From another planet. In another galaxy.”

  Ani blinked. It was preposterous, but she’d seen automatons and airship trains, had almost swung today. If he’d told her that before, she’d thought he was plumb crazy. Now…

  “Oh.”

  “It’s a long story, one I’d like to forget, leave in the past.” He clasped her hands, half turned her to face him. “I came here to forget, to die, and found a reason to live when I met you. When you faced Smith like that—I thought I was too damaged to love anyone, too dead inside. I was wrong. I know it’s soon, too soon for you to feel it, too, but I love you. If you’ll let me, I’d like to prove it to you.”

  Ani’s mouth curved up at the edges, taking it slow, as she felt her woman power surge again. “You’re a fine man, Chance, a good man. When I faced the Bad Egg, when I climbed that gallows, I knew it, too. I knew I loved you and always would. That I’d have died for you on the gallows.”

  His smile had been fine before, but this one lit him up like the sun coming out as he pulled her close and finally kissed her. She thought she’d been kissed before. Well, that was nothing on this one. It was like flying in the airship and galloping and the best day she ever had, all rolled into one.