Cassidy St. Claire and The Fountain of Youth Parts I, II, & III

by A. H. Rousseau

  “Well that trash is frequently composed of people far better than your well-bred elites.”

  “All the more reason to be polite in front of everyone.” Jebediah said emphatically.

  Gideon was nervously holding and staring at his glass of water.

  “What do you think of all this?” Cassidy asked Gideon, who glanced up at Cassidy and Jebediah.

  “Me? Oh, I, uh... I have always thought that, uh, that... politeness is an important element of any interaction. Structure is good.”

  “Exactly,” said Jebediah, firing a finger at Gideon. “Structure. Manners may seem pointless to you, but what they provide is structure to an interaction that would otherwise be chaos in the state of nature.”

  “Oh god, state of nature. Are all of you State Department dudes philosophy majors?”

  “You knew what I was talking about,” retorted Jebediah.

  “Yeah,” interjected Gideon. “I saw the... the, uh... the books... in your library.” Cassidy glared at him and he returned to his glass. “I'll just shut up, now.”

  “Good man,” said Cassidy.

  “Look, I don't want to take this any further. I think manners are important.”

  “And I think they are, too. I comport myself quite well in fine restaurants in San Francisco. But try to inject a degree of context into what you believe. Manners on the frontier make little sense. This isn't a fine eatery on Pennsylvania Avenue, you know.”

  “You don't necessarily know the context, though.”

  “In some contexts, it doesn't matter what I do or say. In some contexts, simply being a woman is enough to rile people up. What am I supposed to do then?”

  “I'm not saying that my advice is the solution to all of society's injustices meted against you... it's just...” Jebediah sighed as he thought. “Think about other people.”

  Cassidy swigged the contents of her glass. Jebediah rolled his eyes at the sight of this. “I'm not going to worry about people who don't matter.”

  “They do, though, Cassidy. You still have to live in this world, so it's best to try to work with the other people in it.”

  “That's why being rich is so great,” Cassidy said, holding up her finger to the waiter, then pointing to her glass. “Everyone must be more concerned about what I think than vice versa.”

  Jebediah leaned back in his chair and placed his arms on the rests. He looked off to the side in though then held up his hand from the rest as he spoke. “I'm done. I don't want to talk about this anymore.”

  “Good. Get drunk. It'll lighten you up. Then we can go listen to the band.”

  Jebediah didn't respond. He just looked back at Cassidy from under his brow, annoyed. He huffed and sipped his drink.

  6

  The car moved slowly through the cave. The sounds of the main installation continued to echo quietly in the distance. Small dots of light glimmered out from the cave as the sounds of men working emanated from the darkness. Shadows slowly moved over Anna's face as the car passed under the bright arc lamps affixed to tall, two-hundred foot posts, placed every four-hundred feet.

  “How far do we have to go?” asked Anna.

  “Not much farther, now,” said the driver.

  Anna stood from her bench and walked up to the front window, the eyes of the guards both on her. She squinted into the distance as she made out a faint light glowing from around a corner.

  “Is that where we're headed?” asked Anna.

  “Yes ma'am,” replied the driver.

  Anna maintained her gaze on the coming light as it got brighter. Eventually, the car reached a slight bend in the track and Anna's body shifted in response to the turn. The turn of the car brought it around the bend and the light's intensity increased significantly. The wet, crystalline walls of the cave glimmered and glistened in the light as the car passed into an awe-inspiring chamber. A large circular cave, three-hundred feet high and twice as wide, with a circular complex of buildings and machines running completely around the chamber. A single, large stalactite dominated the ceiling in the dead-center of the cavern, situated directly above a winding, twisted, curled, ancient-looking tree.

  Anna stared at the tree intensely. Determining its height from such a distance was difficult. The tree glistened and glowed, waves of light moving throughout its body, while pristine water trickled and burbled out from the intertwined rocks and roots at the base. The rail line went around the cave clockwise, directly abutting the structures. The floor of the cave had been smoothed and refined, with metal grates and walkways leading from the structures to the fountain in the middle. Pools of the water glimmered under the grates from all around the cavern. Powerful lights beamed in seemingly random directions from the circular complex, illuminating seemingly random areas of the cavern. Lights glowed from windows and doors, and dozens of people milled about, working machinery, moving materials, or just watching everything around them. Whatever this place was hummed with energy.

  As the car began its curve around the chamber, Anna looked to her right, on the rail exiting the chamber, and saw a row of over a dozen rail cars, parked and waiting. Still more cars were parked at points all around the circle. Her car slowed to a stop at a small rail station of sorts and the driver opened the gate of the left side of the car. The first guard rose from his seat and disembarked, then the second guard motioned for Anna to do the same. She hopped down from the rail car onto the metal floor, her shoes making a metallic thunk as she stepped.

  Anna paused to look around, marveling at the multifaceted structure that ran around the cave. It was as though dozens upon dozens of boxes of all shapes and sizes were haphazardly glued to one another, with stairwells, lifts, cranes, and ladders connecting them all. The first guard turned and motioned down the long circular walkway that was the innermost edge of the structure. Anna nodded and trotted along with the quickly moving guards.

  As they walked, Anna looked to her right, down beneath the walkway as men clad in large rubber outfits hustled everywhere with carts, cylindrical tanks, and crates filled with unknown wonders. The rock face, hidden under metal grated walkways, was chiseled smooth and noticeably wet.

  The guards moved quickly, yelling out “special delivery” on a few occasions to those ahead, triggering an immediate parting of the crowd. The trio walked halfway around the circle to a large, central, tower-like structure that sat directly opposite the entrance to the cavern. This part of the structure was geometric and more designed than the rest of the installation, as though this part was purposely built and the rest of it simply sprang out the sides organically until it had circumnavigated the cave.

  Standing at the base of the main tower, the guards paused and looked around. A moment later, another man, dressed in formal clothing, hurried out from the building. He walked from some large glass doors and under an ornate overhang with a hammered, copper relief decorating the front. On it was a scene showing two naked men locked in combat, both with groups of warriors behind them.

  The guards waved at the man who waved back as he rushed over.

  “We've got another one,” said the first guard.

  “Alright then,” the man said, his hands clasped in front of him. “I think I can handle her from here if you gentlemen want to return to the surface. I'm sure they are in need of your... skills.”

  The guards grumbled quietly as they turned and lumbered away.

  “Welcome, miss...?” the man began.

  Anna didn't realize what he was asking initially, her face popping a bit when she understood. “Oh. Brown. Anna Brown.”

  “Miss Brown. Welcome. My name is Muybridge. Reginald Muybridge. Welcome to your new home.”

  Anna looked at Reginald, distrusting and visibly upset. She then looked up at the relief and stared at it, its polished copper glistening as lights moved around in the complex.

  “Do you like the relief?” asked Reginald. “It was done by a metal worker who has been with us for many years. It shows Zeus fighting his father, the Titan Chron
us, in the great battle of the gods known as the Titanomachy.”

  Anna stared at it for a moment longer. “Where am I? Who are you?”

  “Ahh, yes. I'm sorry, but I cannot answer those questions. Trust me when I say it is best if you do not know. If you do not know, when your work is done, you will be free to leave, and be well-rewarded for your work. But if you learn to much... well, we'll leave it at that.”

  “Will you kill me?” she asked forthrightly.

  Reginald paused and assessed his new ward. “We have not yet killed anyone in our charge.”

  “Yes, but theoretically, if I were to learn enough, would you?”

  Reginald abandoned eye contact with Anna before returning it and smiling a forced smile. “I can say no more. This way, please,” he said as he motioned toward the door under the overhand. Anna glanced up at the relief once more before walking into the door.

  ---

  Cassidy and her dynamic duo stood about thirty feet from the small gazebo in the quaint park. A quartet played Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons while a crowd of people milled about in the gloaming. The faintest hint of sunlight illuminated the horizon and the park was mostly lit by the gas lamps which cast a delicate, comforting glow over the crowd, dressed in their evening finery, and the Chinese elms that filled the park.

  Cassidy leaned on the low, marble wall that surrounded a recessed area in the center of the park. Within its circular confines were a reflecting pool with rocks and small trees, and a cultivated yard of grass and shrubs. The three all wore slight, happy smiles as they stood there contentedly.

  “It's nice to feel, at least for a moment, disconnected from our concerns,” said Gideon.

  “Certainly,” said Jebediah. “Well said.”

  “What are they playing, anyhow? I don't recognize it,” asked Gideon.

  “Four Seasons, by Vivaldi,” said Cassidy. “This particular part is called Winter.” Jebediah turned and gave Cassidy a pleasantly surprised gaze.

  “I am impressed,” said Jebediah.

  “Don't be,” said Cassidy. “Many times, knowledge of these things has more to do with if you can afford to see them than whether you're civilized or not.”

  “Perhaps, but regardless, I shall remain impressed.”

  As they listened to the band, Cassidy's ears perked up at the sound of a gurgled growling behind her. She turned slowly as she tried to ascertain the location of the noise, eventually turning her head all the way around and looking down into the fountain. Her eyes widened and her brow furrowed as she saw in the light of the lamps a rather large alligator looking up at her. She then turned her head back toward the band, on which Jebediah and Gideon were still happily focused.

  “This town is weird,” she said.

  “What? Why? The prostitutes?” asked Gideon.

  “No, the alligators behind us.”

  “What?” asked Gideon as he turned around. “AHH!!” he screamed, leaping away from the fountain. People around Gideon jumped with a startle before realizing what had happened and a faint chuckle went through the crowd.

  “And you're worried about me making a scene,” said Cassidy, looking at Jebediah.

  “Try to compose yourself,” said Jebediah to Gideon. Gideon responded with a look of hurt and shock on his face as he just pointed at the alligator, using its mere presence as the argument in his favor. Jebediah didn't respond to this plea so Gideon moved cautiously back toward the fountain, his upper lip upturned in fearful disgust.

  The music stopped and the band leader faced the crowd as it clapped in appreciation. “Thank you very much. For our next piece, we would like to play something a bit more pleasant, hopefully calming down our skittish friend out there.” The crowd chuckled and Gideon smiled and waved to everyone. “While it may not sound quite as impressive as when on the stage, we'd like to play an instrumental version of Modern Major General from the popular play, Pirates of Penzance.” The crowd clapped in approval.

  “Now this is more like it! Pirates of Penzance. I love this play!” Gideon yelled.

  “Ha!... Yeah,” Cassidy said with a smile. Gideon gave her a dirty look.

  Jebediah began to sing in time with the tune. “I am the very model of a modern Major-General, I've information animal, vegetable, and mineral.”

  “I know the kings of England and I quote the fights historical,” continued Cassidy, “from Marathon to Waterloo in order categorical.”

  “I'm glad to see that the two of you partake in the pleasures of the hoi polloi as well as your operas!” said Gideon.

  “Gideon, my friend,” said Cassidy. “There are few things I like more than the pleasures of the hoi polloi. I especially like saying the word hoi polloi.” Cassidy turned to the alligator in the fountain. “How about you? What do you think about all this?” The alligator grumbled a bit. “I figured as much. You don't like anything. Don't even know why we bring you along.” The three enjoyed the music for a moment more. “I hope they don't have lions or something hidden around here somewhere,” Cassidy added

  Marshal Stoudenmire walked up behind them, dust-free this time. “You three behaving?” he asked. The trio turned around.

  “Marshal! Glad you could make it,” said Cassidy. “And yes, we're behaving. Just enjoying some music.”

  The Marshal nodded as he rested his hands in his vest pockets. “Good, good. Been a quiet night. I want to make sure it stays a quiet night. I'm glad that you have yet to live up to your reputation.”

  “Oh don't count me out yet, Marshall. I've still got all of tonight and some of tomorrow. I'm sure I'll find a way to cause some trouble.”

  The Marshall smirked. He tipped his hat to the three. “Ma'am, Mr. Ames, Mr. Atwater. You sleep well.”

  “Thank you Marshall. You seem to be suitably omnipresent, so I'm sure we'll see you tomorrow,” said Cassidy.

  “You will,” he said with a smirk before turning and walking off.

  The three watched him as he walked out of the park. “Seems like an affable fellow when he's not shooting people,” said Cassidy.

  “Yes,” said Jebediah as the three turned back to the band. “He has quite the reputation.”

  “Oh, you've heard of him?” asked Cassidy.

  “Yes. I have friends in the Justice Department and you hear of their more... notable members. He is notable.”

  “Notable for what?” asked Cassidy.

  “Oh, nothing horrific. He's a drinker and a fighter. He seems to be intelligent enough. Not stupid. Most importantly is that he's known as someone who can keep a town quiet. I'm honestly not surprised to find him here.” Jebediah paused, thinking. “And... well, frankly, some of my friends have a penchant for, how shall I put this... glossing over the faults of those who they find useful. I get the feeling that they are glossing over quite a bit when they discuss him. But then again, the marshals that get assigned to these frontier boom towns rather need to be a bit crazy, I suppose.”

  “Crazy?” asked Gideon.

  “It was for lack of a better term,” said Jebediah. “Don't take that as a condemnation of his character.”

  “Yeah, take the fact that he's actually crazy as a condemnation of his character,” added Cassidy.

  “You cannot judge him until you know the environment in which he works,” said Jebediah.

  “Anyone who meets someone for the first time, and their introduction is hi, I will shoot you is crazy. I'm not some Mexican cattle rustler.”

  “He was just posturing,” said Jebediah.

  “A law man who postures is a law man who serves a master other than the law.”

  Jebediah thought on that. “Perhaps, but sometimes the motivation, at least from the administrative perspective, is irrelevant. Just so long as the law is maintained.”

  “And this is the reason why no one trusts the government or the law. You talk about ideals and philosophy, but when pushed against a wall, you appeal to practical arguments that frequently make a mockery of your ideals.”

 
“God dammit, do you have to use every opportunity to attack me?” asked Jebediah.

  “I'm not. I'm not. I'm just saying that using someone who doesn't serve the law to enforce the law is a deal with the devil. Eventually, the law and his actual motivation are going to conflict, and injustice will occur. And you may not notice this from your castle on high, but those to whom the injustice has a nasty habit of occurring are negros and women.”

  “There are a great many problems with that statement that I would love to address, but can we please, just, not tonight? Let's go for each other's throats tomorrow. I'd rather enjoy my night.”

  “Of course, of course,” replied Cassidy. “A good idea... and well said.” She waited a moment, listening to the music, smiling. She finally leaned toward Jebediah again while still watching the band. “So, when you're sitting in your castle, laughing about the little people, do you drink cognac or whiskey when you smoke cigars made of orphans?”

  Jebediah sighed.

  ---

  Cassidy, Gideon, and Jebediah all walked into the lobby of the hotel, a few people sitting in chairs, chatting and reading by lamp light. Cassidy gave a wide stretch and a yawn at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Well gentlemen. Good night. Sleep well... and on, and on.”

  “You as well, fair maiden,” replied Gideon.

  “Maiden... yeah,” Cassidy grumbled as she started up the stairwell.

  Gideon walked up the stairs with Jebediah not too far behind. “Sleep well, gentlemen,” said the hotel manager.

  “Thank you. You as well,” replied Gideon.

  Jebediah stopped at the bottom of the stairs and glanced to his right. Through the doorway leading to the bar. A man sat at a table within direct line of sight to the stairs and elevators. He was staring at the three go upstairs and immediately turned away when Jebediah looked at him. Jebediah's eyes thinned to suspicious slits as he measured the man. He stared back at the man for a moment before slowly continuing his walk upstairs.