Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Tested in Fire ❯ Chapter 9

Tested in Fire: New Humanity Part Nine

 

Motoko Fitzgerald studied Jack Scott as the redhead carefully did her makeup, skillfully downplaying the Asian cast to her features. Sandy brown hair fell into the other lady's piercing blue eyes, the face itself oddly handsome looking, really, her slim body sheathed in a deceptively simple black dress. If someone had told Motoko that this pretty young woman was a bodyguard and investigator, she wasn't sure if she would have believed it.

 

'Why did father choose to hire an outsider,' Motoko wondered, 'instead of calling on one of the Shogun's men?' She frowned slightly as she looked up at Jack, "Are you planning to shadow me all night? What if I decide to go home with a client?"

 

"Not going to happen," Jack answered calmly, "This isn't a bawdy house, you might keep them company but you don't go home with them."

 

"Very sharp," Motoko nodded slightly, feeling her frown easing involuntarily. This Scott was clearly wiser than she first looked, she might even live up to her inflated reputation.

 

There was a dangerous twinkle in Jack's eye as she said, "Which makes me wonder why Davidson lied to me at first, claiming you were a goodtime girl and his lover."

"You'd have to ask him that," Motoko felt a flash of anger, only her experience keeping it off her face. 'How dare he...?' she thought.

 

As the other woman watched her put on her makeup there was a flicker of something on Jack's face, the other woman stiffening just slightly. Motoko finished, rising even as she looked over at Jack curiously to ask, "Is something wrong?"

 

"No, nothing," Jack smiled back at her while adjusting the small earrings she wore, but she was clearly holding something back.

 

Motoko was tempted to push her on it, but something in Jack's look said she wasn't going to talk about it. "Then let's go," she told Jack as they walked together to the door.

 

The club was an old, familiar friend to Motoko now, a converted set of business offices in Chinatown. The connecting walls that had subdivided the large space had been knocked down, new carpet laid down even as fixtures and furnishings had been brought in. It almost felt like another era in the club, one far before the meteors and all the changes that they brought.

 

Motoko carefully noted the mood of the crowd, smiling slightly as she saw Heather singing the next song in her usual number. The glossy black haired beauty swayed up on the stage, her full breasts straining against the simple gown she wore as she sang a torch song. She wasn't a bad performer, even if she didn't quite get the songs spot on.

 

"Jade Flower performs here often?" Jack asked with a false sort of casualness.

 

Motoko had to fight back a smile at the mildly annoyed look on Jack's face but answered mildly, "Merely as a hostess, I think. She's quite popular, too."

 

"Good," Jack murmured.

 

A figure waved and Motoko hurried over, the night soon falling into it's usual pattern. Motoko chatted with customers, danced and entertained people, using her charm to induce them to stay and buy more food and drinks, spending on her and Jack. Surprisingly Jack was a subtle presence; muting her usual impact and actually helping them do their jobs.

 

"You can be remarkably pleasant, Scott-san," Motoko murmured.

 

"Gee, thanks," Jack said, frowning slightly as she saw someone approaching.

 

Motoko turned to look, her lips rising into a warm smile as her friend approached them. Chizuru chuckled softly, the little blonde smiling as she nodded to Jack and said, "Your friend is proving to be popular, too."

 

"I'm not sure this is quite my thing," Jack said diplomatically.

 

Chizuru gave her a wry look, and then she gazed over at Motoko and asked, "Would you mind signing tonight?"

 

Motoko bowed her head slightly, "Of course, I'd be glad to."

 

A few moments later Motoko found herself up on the little stage over to the side, raising a microphone to her lips. "Welcome to the Nightingale," she said to the crowd formally, "a place of music and relaxation in our modern world. Let our hostesses take you away from it all...."

 

Jack watched from the shadows nearby, and Motoko found herself wondering what this woman thought of it all. For a westerner Jack was remarkably difficult to read, only the occasional moments of jealousy or anger showing through her iron control.

 

Raising her voice in song Motoko smiled, crooning to the people even as she noticed Heather quietly making her way through the shadows over to stand by Jack's side. 'They do know each other,' she noted even as she sang, 'isn't that interesting.'

 

Heather was speaking to Jack, possibly trying to explain her presence in the club. By the look on Jack's face she hadn't known about Heather's occupation, and it had been an unpleasant surprise. Finally Heather left, back stiff with anger, and Jack looked after her with an achingly lost expression on her handsome face.

 

"Treat the Nightingale kindly and she will sing for you," Motoko finished up her performance as she slid the microphone into it's stand, "but this one has to retire for the night." To the respectful sound of clapping she slid down from the stage towards the tables, unsurprised to see Jack materialize at her side.

 

"You're very good," Jack said calmly as they moved forward together, her voice showing none of the strain from just having an argument.

 

'Remarkable self control,' Motoko found herself noting once again. "I'm pretty much finished for the night," she said, "if you want to go."

 

"Good," Jack gave a wintry smile as they headed to the doors, Motoko giving her farewells, "you have no idea how nervous I was having you up on that stage where any shooter could have tried going for you."

 

"You don't seriously think someone would try to shoot me," Motoko blinked at Jack in shock as they went out into the Vancouver night together.

 

Jack helped Motoko slip on the jacket she left up front after subtlety checking it over. "We don't know the objectives of whoever is after you or Davidson," Jack answered simply, pulling her jacket on too, "so I can't guess what they might do."

 

"Comforting," Motoko shivered just a bit and not from the cold.

 

Jack heard a horse taxi coming up Main Street and flagged it down, helping Motoko up into the back seat. "Woodwards building," she instructed the driver, passed him a coin and they were off.

 

"Why are we going back to your office?" Motoko asked Jack quietly, sitting back with a soft sigh of pure relief.

 

"Got to pick up a few pieces of clothes," Jack said frankly as they clattered down main towards Hastings, turning west then up towards Woodwards, "then we can decide where to hole up."

 

Above them stars gleamed through the cloudless night, the moon lighting up the streets where people of all types still wandered. "It's a bit late to be running around," Motoko said hesitantly, "I don't suppose you have a couch I could borrow?"

 

"Of course," Jack replied simply, her expression clearly distracted as they passed between the battered buildings. Suddenly she grabbed Motoko even as she threw them out of the cab, the other woman crying out in alarm even as a shot rang out.

 

"What in the...." Motoko stammered.

 

Jack pulled the pistol from where it was strapped to her thigh, looking around coolly then firing once, twice into the night. "Looks like someone decided to make our night more exciting," she answered coldly, "probably warning shots."

 

"Why?" Motoko demanded, her heart pounding in her ears even as Jack gently shielded her with her own body.

 

"Even at night it's not that hard to hit something," Jack scanned their surroundings warily, "before the taxi bolted I saw they put the shot right through the roof."

 

"You take this so calmly," Motoko said weakly as Jack eased up, helping her rise to her feet.

 

"Practice," Jack answered dryly. They raced down the rest of the way to the Woodwards building, Jack unlocking the main doors and then letting them inside.

 

"I don't think I'd want that kind of practice," Motoko admitted as Jack lead them over to the stairs, all the while keeping a gentle grip on her hand.

 

"Occasionally I'd agree with you," Jack answered frankly.

 

To be continued....