by Aron Lewes
“There.” Jophiel rises and returns to my side. “It's done.”
When I turn to Taishi, I expect him to look as relieved as I feel—but he doesn't. He's scowling.
“What's wrong?” I whisper to my instructor. Meanwhile, Shella is cradling Jamie's head against her chest. Her true feelings were revealed by the threat of death.
“Nothing,” Taishi croaks.
“Nothing?” I give him a nudge. “Why are you scowling if nothing is wrong? Jamie's saved! You should be happy.”
“I am happy,” Taishi says, even though his sour expression contradicts that claim. “I just...”
When his voice trails off, I urge him to complete his thought. “You what?”
Taishi's jaw is twitching like crazy. I don't think I've seen him look so annoyed. “I wish...” he pauses a moment, and when he finally finishes, I'm surprised by his answer. “I wish you hadn't reminded me... I'm not as good as Jophiel.”
“Are you sure you're alright, Jamie?” Shella asks for the dozenth time as they stagger into Shockton. “You're not feeling weak or feverish or... or nauseous or anything?”
“No. I'm absolutely fine.”
Shella has a hard time swallowing his miracle cure. “But how? You were convulsing! There was foam coming out of your mouth! How does someone just bounce back after something like that?”
“I dunno,” Jamie shrugs. “I'm just lucky, I guess.”
“No. It isn't luck, Miss Franco,” Esteban suddenly chimes in. “Jamie Weston has God on his side!”
A tiny smile hovers on my lips. I do kind of feel like a god right now.
“Nah. I don't believe in God, man. I'm just lucky,” Jamie insists. “Anyway, Shella... we got you back to Shockton.”
“Without my dowry,” Shella finishes with a sigh.
I take a moment to glance around Shockton, which looks exactly like a Wild West town from a movie. There's a General Store, a saloon, and horse-drawn buggies. Tumbleweeds bounce across a dry desert road. I still can't believe I'm somewhere in the past. When I glance back at Alyx, she looks horribly out of place. Her green hair and ripped jeans stick out like a sore thumb.
“Well, I don't have your dowry either, sweetheart. Today, no one wins. We all walk away empty-handed.”
I expect Shella to chime in with another, “stop calling me sweetheart,” but she doesn't. Jamie's close encounter with death has definitely changed her.
“I wish God was good to me,” Esteban speaks up again. “Oooo, my feet! Me duele mucho!” When he has their attention, Esteban exaggerates a hobble.
“I was poisoned, Esteban. I had it worse,” Jamie says.
“I know. But that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to complain!”
I'm walking next to Taishi, who's been pretty quiet for the last hour or so. I know he's mad at me for getting Jophiel's help, but he should be grateful. If not for my intervention, Jamie would've died, and our mission would have failed in the worst possible way.
Maybe it's a guy thing? They're all secretly competing with each other, and they don't like to be outperformed.
All of a sudden, Taishi's LightTab makes an odd beeping noise. Before I can ask what it is, he says, “It's the tracker. George Oras is close.”
“Really?” I gasp. “He's in Shockton?”
“Yes.” Taishi turns in the direction of the saloon. “He's in there.”
“So... we need to get Jamie in the saloon. Obviously.” When I glance back at Alyx, she's got headphones on. She's listening to Regal Crimson, I'm sure. For some reason, Wilma Dawes isn't back yet. Alyx is probably a thorn in her side, so I wouldn't be surprised if Wilma is intentionally dragging her feet. “So... what should we do?”
“Try shouting at him,” Taishi suggests. “You're good at that. You need to implant the thought in his mind. Generally speaking, cowboys like saloons, so it shouldn't be too hard. In the meantime, I'm going to look for George. Wear this, just in case.”
When Taishi slips a thoughtshare into my ear, I groan.
“Be mindful of your thoughts,” Taishi reminds me as he rushes away to find our thief.
Turning to Jamie, I scream, “Don't take Shella to her fiance's house! She can get there on her own! What you need is a drink!” I try to poke Jamie's back. “Look! There's a saloon over there! Don't you want to go inside?”
I check on Alyx again. Her music is so loud, I don't think she can hear me. Of course, her mission is a bit different than mine. It would probably be in her best interests if Jamie was a gentleman and walked with Shella the rest of the way. In a way, I feel like I'm sabotaging her.
“I, uh... I-I think this is where we should part ways, Shella,” Jamie stutters.
“What? Why?” Shella looks so disappointed, I almost feel a bit guilty.
“Because I can't drop you off at your fiance's place,” Jamie says. “I'm an outlaw. I'm a wanted man. You wouldn't want to be seen with me, would you?”
“I... guess you have a point.” Shella accepts his explanation with a shrug. “Do you think I'll see you again?”
“I dunno. Probably,” Jamie nonchalantly replies. “We'll cross paths eventually, don't you think?”
“Y-yeah.” Shella looks so crestfallen, I can feel her pain. Guys are so disappointing. This is exactly how I feel when Taishi gives me the cold shoulder.
And I've got a thoughtshare in my ear—which means Taishi just heard that. Great.
“Leigh-chan,” I suddenly hear Taishi's voice in my head. “Believe it or not, George Oras fell asleep at one of the tables. He's cuddling the box of money. Get Jamie in here now.”
I'm working on it, Taishi! Be patient!
“Well, I guess I'll see you around,” Jamie says. “Good luck with What's-his-name.”
“William.” A telling sigh slips from Shella's lips when she utters her fiance's name. If she would rather be with Jamie, why doesn't she just tell him?
“Yeah. William.” Jamie tips his hat and slinks backward, toward the saloon. “See you later, Shella.”
“Adios, senorita,” Esteban adds as he chases after Jamie. The poor guy is limping on his blistered feet.
Alright, Taishi, they're heading your way. I still haven't gotten a handle on this thoughtshare thing. No matter how any times I hear Taishi's voice speaking directly into my mind, it will forever be weird.
Everyone enters the saloon—including Alyx, who seems to be oblivious to everything but her favorite band's music. As soon as I step inside, my eyes are drawn to Taishi, who's standing by George Oras' table.
A split second later, I'm screaming into Jamie's ear again. “Look over there! To the left! It's the guy who stole your money, Jamie. Looooook!”
Taishi's right. I am good at this. Jamie immediately spots the thief and whispers something to Esteban. I can't hear them, but I assume they're discussing their next move.
I'm momentarily distracted by one of Taishi's random thoughts.
“Leigh-chan looks good as a cowgirl. Those clothes suit her.”
Aww. That's sweet. Later, I'll have to thank him for that compliment.
Jamie tiptoes to the table of the snoring George Oras, who fell asleep on the dowry box. When Jamie tries to slide the box away from his head, George immediately wakes up.
“Oh no!” I shrill. “Get him, Jamie! Punch him!”
Once again, Jamie heeds my advice. He throws a powerful right hook. At the same time, Taishi follows up with a left hook, and George is knocked out. Fortunately, none of George's posse is around to see Jamie escaping with the money.
“Woo-hoo!” I cheer, popping out the thoughtshare. Now that the money is back in Jamie's hands, Taishi doesn't need to hear my thoughts anymore. “We did it, Taishi! That was almost too easy!”
“Indeed. It's nice when everything goes right.”
When Taishi smiles at me, I freeze. His smiles are still rare. I wish I could take a mental picture of it and store it in my mind.
“Hey, did you guys get the money back?” Alyx suddenly drif
ts out of her own world and rejoins ours.
“Yeah,” I tell her. “Wow, you really weren't paying attention, were you?”
“Uhh... yeah. No.” Judging from her grin, Alyx has no shame. “What happened to Shella?”
“She went to her fiance's house.”
“Shit, really? I was supposed to get her to stay with Jamie!”
I want to help Alyx, but Taishi and I already finished our mission. The money is Jamie's again. We officially succeeded, even though it doesn't really feel like a success. In fact, now I feel a little guilty about celebrating. It's Shella's dowry money, after all.
When Jamie dashes out of the saloon, everyone follows him out. Taishi and I could leave, but I think we're both curious. I can't speak for Taishi, but I want to see how this day ends.
“Where are we going now?” Esteban asks. “To an inn?”
“No. I'm going to William's place. You don't have to go with me, Esteban.”
“William's place?” Esteban slowly repeats. “To see Shella?”
“Yeah.” Jamie cradles the dowry money against his chest. “In fact, maybe it's better if you didn't go with me. Go back to the saloon. That guy never saw your face, so you should be okay.”
“Alright.” Esteban hitches a shoulder as he returns to the saloon. “I'll see you later... I guess.”
Jamie charges across the street so quickly, he's practically running. Taishi is the only one who isn't struggling to keep up, and I'm not surprised. He's got longer legs than Alyx and me.
“When he gets back to Shella, I hope he runs up to her and confesses his undying love,” Alyx says. “That would be nice.”
Jamie doesn't make it all the way to William's house. He passes Shella along the way. She's sitting at a bench in front of the General Store, wiping tears from her eyes.
“Hey! Shella!” When Jamie calls out to her, she's startled by the sound of his voice. “What's with these tears? Why are you sad?”
“Oh... Jamie...” As Shella crushes the tears on her cheeks, her face turns a bit rosy. “I didn't expect to see you again. I guess I'm just... confused.”
“Confused? About what?”
Her answer is frustratingly vague. “About... everything.”
“Well, I've got something that might make you feel a bit better.” Jamie holds out the box of money. “Believe it or not, I got it back from the fella who stole it... and now I'm giving it back to you.”
Like me, Shella looks shocked. “What? You are?” she gasps.
“Yeah. I don't even have to think about it.” Jamie puts the box on her lap. “The money's yours. It should be with you.”
I've got to admit, I'm impressed. For an outlaw, that was unexpectedly noble of him. I'm a little confused, though. If Jamie isn't keeping the money, what does that mean for our mission? Did Taishi and I fail?
“Jamie... that's...” Shella never finishes her thought. I'm pretty sure she's overwhelmed.
“Anyway, I should probably get going,” Jamie says. “Like I said before, you shouldn't be seen with me. You're a good girl, and I'm a--”
Shella seizes Jamie's arm and drags him down to the bench. Tears shimmer in her eyes as she studies the handsome face of her former beau.
“Jamie, I don't want to marry him,” Shella blurts.
“You don't want to marry What's-his-name?”
Shella shakes her head. “No. I thought I cared about him... and I do. I like him a lot, but I don't love him.” Shella bravely reaches for Jamie's hand. I see his fingers twitch when she touches him. “There's only one man I've ever loved, and it's not William.”
“You better be talking about me and not your Pa.” Jamie's teasing earns him a light jab on the shoulder.
“Of course I'm talking about you!” Shella screeches. “I loved you, Jamie. I still do. I always have, and I always will.”
Our charge's thin lips are overtaken by a smug, satisfied grin. Jamie doesn't reply. Instead, he leans over to steal a kiss from his sweetheart's lips.
Stolen kisses are the only theft I do condone. I like happy endings.
Unfortunately, it's not a happy ending for Taishi and me. Now that the money is with Shella, I'm pretty sure we just failed.
“Oh my god, Leigh, you have to listen to this song!” Alyx exclaims. She pops out one of her earbuds and sticks it in mine—which would have grossed me out a bit, if not for the fact that we don't have earwax anymore. “Doesn't Kerry's voice just make you melt?”
“Uh... sure.” My honest answer would be a little different, but I don't want to hurt her feelings. This sounds like the kind of music my stoner cousin would listen to, and it wasn't my thing. Don't get me wrong, I like Alyx, but I sometimes wish she would spare a thought for something besides her favorite band. I wish we could find some common ground and discuss that instead. Like... hot Archangels, maybe?
Taishi, Alyx and I are standing in front of Archangel Tower, waiting for a mission report from one of the high-ranking angels. The tower, where the Archangels reside, is one of the most impressive structures in Heaven. The gold spiral tower is so tall, I can't see the top of it. The entire building is encased in so much light, I can barely stand to look at it.
Finally, after a twenty minute wait, Archangel Jophiel swoops down greet us. I think this is the first time I've seen his wings, and they're glorious. His feathers are so bright and white, they're practically glowing. As I watch him drift toward us, I'm in awe.
“Hello, Leigh, Alyx... Nakamura.” Jophiel greets us. I think I saw his nostrils flaring when he uttered Taishi's name. “Welcome back. I wish I could say it's been awhile, but it hasn't. I actually played a part in your mission... which is a bit unusual. How is Jamie?”
I answer on everyone's behalf. “He's doing okay. Everyone was saying his recovery was a miracle, and they were right.”
“I don't perform miracles very often, to be honest.” With a wicked half-grin on his lips, Jophiel adds, “You're a very convincing young woman, Miss Riley.”
“W-well... we needed help.” I can't bring myself to look at Taishi, but I'm pretty sure he's scowling at me right now. “I really didn't want Jamie to die.”
“That's understandable,” Jophiel says, turning to Alyx. “Miss Keating, where is your partner?”
“Wilma?” Alyx pops out her earbud and shrugs. “I dunno. She disappeared during the mission and she never came back.”
“So... you finished the mission on your own?” Jophiel's eyes narrow into slits. “That's unacceptable. Wilma should know better. You will immediately be reassigned to another partner.”
“B...but!” To my surprise Alyx looks upset. I always thought she wanted a new partner. “Wilma was supposed to take me to see Regal Crimson if our mission was a success!”
Oh. Well that makes sense. Alyx doesn't care about Wilma. She just wants to see her band.
“You will immediately be reassigned to another partner,” Jophiel repeats, a bit coldly. “And Wilma will be admonished.”
“Sir,” Taishi suddenly speaks up. For some reason, both men are glowering at each other. “With all due respect, sir, you don't know the whole story. I was the one who asked Wilma to take Richard to Home. No one else showed up to take him, so--”
“Who is Richard?” Jophiel interrupts.
“Richard was Shella's stagecoach driver,” Taishi explains. “He passed away in the middle of our mission. No one came for him, so I asked Wilma to take him Home.”
To be fair, Wilma has been gone a long time. Still, I'm proud of Taishi for standing up for her.
“Once again...” Jophiel repeats, sounding a bit annoyed, “Miss Keating will be reassigned. Do you have a problem with that, Nakamura?”
With a solemn shake of his head, Taishi replies, “no, sensei...”
“Let me remind you of something, Taishi...” Jophiel begins. “Though you are well on your way to becoming an Archangel, I still outrank you.”
“For now,” Taishi adds.
When Jophiel takes a step tow
ard Taishi, he looks livid. I always thought they liked each other, but maybe I was wrong? Maybe they're rivals?
“I outrank you,” Jophiel repeats, “and you are not to question my decisions in front of the students. Do you understand?”
Taishi gives him a nod.
“Speak, Taishi!” Jophiel insists. “I will not settle for one of your tired nods.”
In the corner of my eye, I can see Taishi's twitching jaw. In a low voice, he replies, “I understand.”
“Good. Now... as for your mission, Leigh, I've decided it was a success,” Jophiel tells me. “True, the money isn't in Jamie's hands, but the mission parameters changed. He had the money, but he chose to give it away. His decision was made after your success, and it was out of your control.”
Our conference is interrupted by a chorus of girlish squeals. A few seconds later, I see Archangel Michael exiting the tower. Since he's the most popular Archangel, his fans sometimes amass in front of Archangel Tower, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
“Michael,” Jophiel mutters his colleague's name with a roll of his eyes. “He's very well-loved, isn't he? Anyway, that concludes our meeting. Alyx, I'll contact you about your new instructor as soon as I can. Leigh... do you mind staying behind? I'd like to talk to you for a bit.”
“Sure.” As soon as I take a step forward, Taishi grabs my arm and pulls me back.
“Don't,” Taishi whispers in my ear.
His instruction doesn't make sense. “Don't do... what?”
“Don't go with Jophiel,” Taishi whispers to me. “Just don't.”
Taishi's protest surprises me. My mind tries to conjure up a hundred reasons why he would say this to me. Does Taishi like me too? Is he jealous? Is he mad at Jophiel for lecturing him in front of us?
“Uh... why?” I ask, hoping for some insight.
But Taishi doesn't elaborate. Without another word, he lets go of my arm and storms away from Archangel Tower.
As soon as my instructor is gone, Jophiel grumbles, “Taishi... can be a bit of a pain, can he not? Do you find him difficult to work with?”