"Buck and Ezra, you're going in as
escorts. Josiah I think can be brought in
as a bodyguard. And we need
someone to serve as bookkeeper." Chris Larabee
pursed his lips and glanced
around the table at the assembled agents.
"What about Nathan? He's
honest and dependable looking." JD suggested.
Chris glanced at Nathan
appraisingly. "I think you're right, JD. Nathan it
is, then."
"You'll
start this assignment on Monday, so enjoy the next few days while you
can."
Chris brought the meeting to a close.
The seven ATF agents began filing
out the door, with the usual amount of
grumbling and complaining. Except for
Nathan Jackson. He didn't say a word.
Just frowned. He made an effort to
smile, however, when Buck Wilmington
approached him a few minutes
later.
"Nathan? Me and JD are gonna be out of town for a few days next
month.
There's that computer expo thing in LA. We were wondering if you'd
mind
feeding the fish and stuff while we're gone." It wasn't really a
question.
Buck and JD knew good old Nathan would do it.
"Sure, Buck."
Nathan replied. What else could he say? But his smile had
disappeared.
"Thanks, Nate. We can always count on you." Buck clapped
him on the
shoulder and grinned happily. Nathan's frown returned. The
sharpshooter
walked up as Buck was leaving.
"You and Rain still
coming to the saloon tonight?" Vin shook his hair out of
his eyes as he
spoke.
"Yeah. She's looking forward to seeing ya'll." Nathan's voice had
regained
a bit of enthusiasm at the mention of Rain.
"Good. She still
owes me a rematch at the pool table." Vin quirked his lips
in amusement
before he too clapped Nathan on the shoulder and took his leave.
Nathan's
frown grew even darker as he watched Vin walk away. His thoughts
were
focused on the assignments Chris had just handed out. He was gonna be a
bookkeeper? Again? Why couldn't he be an escort and get to wear a tux or
something? Instead of having to sit at a desk all day.
"See you
fellas tonight." JD called out cheerfully as he and Buck left the
office to
go home. Nathan glanced up at the sound. JD and Buck got to go
to a
convention in LA. The last place he got to go was on a fun filled
tour of
the city morgue. It wasn't fair. He could be just as dashing as the
others,
couldn't he? He could. They just never gave him a chance to prove
it.
Vin and Chris left the office next, followed closely by Ezra and
Josiah.
Then there was just Nathan left.
"Good old honest and
dependable Nathan. Why don't they just call me dull and
boring while they're
at it? Just once I'd like Chris to give me the role
of escort or
bodyguard. Instead of always being the cook or the bookkeeper
or something
else that requires all the looks and personality of a wet mop."
Still
muttering to himself, the disgruntled agent grabbed his keys and
stalked out
the door.
"At least Rain appreciates something besides my dependable
nature." With
that closing argument, Nathan turned his thoughts to more
productive matters.
Such as wondering if Rain would remember to bring that
little black dress he
liked so
well.
"You look
nice, Nathan." Rain had indeed remembered to bring the black
dress. But even
the sight of her in it failed to elicit a smile from him.
She had to say he
looked nice? She couldn't have said handsome or hot or
any one of a
hundred other things?
"Nathan?" Rain's concerned voice snapped him out of
his train of thought.
"Yeah? Oh, thanks. You ready to go?" Rain looked
faintly bewildered at his
rather abrupt words, but she shrugged and nodded
her head in
assent.
So who
gets to be designated driver tonight?" Chris asked, as the seven men,
as
well as Rain and Casey, sat around their usual table in the saloon.
Don't say it. Please don't say it. Nathan clenched his fists under the
table. He knew they were gonna say it.
"Brother Jackson usually
performs that service for us." Josiah shot a smile
in Nathan's direction,
blissfully unaware of his friend's thoughts at the
moment.
"Yeah. My
baby is so dependable that way." Rain gave his arm a squeeze and
then got to
her feet. Nathan ground his teeth.
"What do you say we go have our
rematch?" She smiled archly at Vin, eyes
twinkling. The picture of
confidence.
"Yes. Let us by all means go and witness yet another
humiliating defeat for
Mr. Tanner at your lovely hands." Ezra smirked at the
scowling sharpshooter.
"You coming?" Rain glanced down at Nathan, who had
not moved, except to
continue grinding his teeth. She thought of him as
nice. Dependable.
"I'll be along in a few minutes. Ya'll can go
start without me." Nathan
tried to keep the sulky edge from his voice.
Everyone followed Vin and Rain as they made their way over to the pool
table
in the corner. A rowdy game ensued. One that could be heard all the
way
over to the table where Nathan was still sitting. He was too lost in his
thoughts, however, to pay any attention to his
surroundings.
"Help!
Someone, please save me!" The beautiful dark haired girl screamed to
no
avail. There was no one there brave enough to defy the evil governor
Hector
de Santiago.
"I like my women with a bit of fire in them, Senorita.
Struggle all you
wish. It will do you no good." Santiago's voice was oily. A
parody of
seductive. The girl shuddered in revulsion.
"Is there no
man heroic enough to stand up for what is right? To defend an
innocent
maiden?" She looked out in appeal at the gathered villagers, who
shuffled
their feet and refused to meet her eye.
"They are sheep, my dear. Sheep
who have learned to do as they are told or
suffer the consequences." The
governor began dragging her towards his
waiting carriage.
"They may
be sheep. But I am more akin to a wolf." The rich, smooth voice
came from
above them. The governor and his captive both glanced up in
surprise. As did
the villagers, who began whispering and pointing.
"Ah... you must be the
man I have heard so much about. A so called hero of
the people." The
governor was rattled by the man's appearance and tried to
cover it with a
sneer.
The man on the roof shrugged his shoulders, causing the black cape
he wore to
swirl around him. Beneath the mask he also wore, well shaped lips
curved in
a smile.
"Hero? Let us say instead, a man of action." The
masked man replied
modestly.
"Well? What are you waiting for?"
Governor Santiago hissed at his guards.
"Get him!"
The masked man
leaped down from the roof onto the heads of two of the guards.
Swinging his
sword in a graceful arc, he engaged the other three guards in a
thrilling
duel. Back and forth they fought, with the masked man finally
emerging the
victor. Stepping over the bodies of the fallen guards, he made
his way
towards the Governor, who now stood trembling in fear.
"Here! Take her!"
The governor thrust the girl he held into the path of the
masked man and
leapt into his coach, which took off in haste, sending clouds
of dust flying
up from the street.
"Are you alright Senorita?" Ignoring the governor's
hasty retreat, the
masked man bowed gracefully and placed a delicate kiss
upon the young woman's
hand. The villagers sighed. This was so romantic. Far
better than anything
on TV.
"Si, Senor. Now that you are here. My
hero. So brave and dashing." The
young woman glanced up at him
adoringly.
"Thank you my lovely one, but alas...I fear I must go." The masked man whistled and a beautiful
black stallion appeared as if by magic.
He vaulted effortlessly into
the saddle and bowed, sweeping his hat off his
head. "But I shall be back.
That I can promise you."
The girl sighed and watched her mysterious
rescuer ride off into the sunset.
"Who was that masked man?" The
villagers turned to one another. But no one
knew. There was only the strange
mark carved over one of the doors to show
that he had indeed been
there.
"Nathan?
Nathan! Why are you sitting there carving the letter Z into the
table with that silly smile on your face? Is there something you're not
telling me?"
Rain's voice didn't sound anywhere near as adoring as it had in
his dream.
The End
